In
my time the lessons and questions in our prescribed English books in school were
dull and boring. Almost all lessons lectured the students on morality or on
good behaviour. I was happy to note that things have changed a bit from then.
Lessons in the prescribed CBSE English books have become really interesting and
fun. For example, here is a question from grammar in the current CBSE
prescribed book. This question does bring a smile on our faces.
On
Page 114 of English Course (Communicative) Work Book (Class X) of Central
Board Secondary Education (CBSE) is this Grammar Question:
6.
In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. In
your
answer sheet write the missing word along with the word that comes
before
and the word that comes after it against the correct blank number.
Ensure that the
word that forms your answer is underlined.
When
the Class IX examinations over, the Deputy (a) ___________________
Commissioner
asked his son he had done his (b) ___________________
English
paper well. The boy told him that was easy (c) ___________________
and
that for one question had written that his (d) ___________________
father
was washerman. The boy's father shouted (e) ___________________
angrily
but son replied, "I did not know the (f) ___________________
spelling
Deputy commissioner and I did not want (g) ___________________
to one
mark." (h) ___________________
But wait a
minute. Is this question really funny?
Some of us may
not even notice that what the question is actually saying—perhaps
inadvertently—is that the job of a Deputy Commissioner is superior to that
of the washerman. Remember dignity of
labour? And remember Right to Education? It is quite likely that today a
washerman’s son would sit alongside a Deputy Commissioner’s son in the same
class. The washerman’s son would grow with the knowledge that his father is a
lesser man. Not good.
I acknowledge
that it is difficult to bring out textbooks that are completely politically
correct. But we have to start purging books of hidden prejudice. We have to
design our children’s books very carefully; books that have well thought out content. Classroom
is a place for integration, not for disaggregation.
