BOSE chairman vouches for standard of prescribed textbooks

Srinagar, June 20: In a robust defense of the textbooks prescribed by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE), Chairman Dr Parikshat Singh Manhas today dismissed allegations questioning their quality and affordability as stemming from "vested interests."

Addressing the core issue head-on, Dr Manhas challenged the notion that higher pricing equates to superior quality. "First of all, what are the criteria for 'standard'? Is a textbook set published on glossy paper, for which a parent has to pay Rs 7000, considered 'standard'?" he questioned. "There is this perception being created by some vested interests."

The Chairman emphasised that the JKBOSE's textbooks undergo a thorough examination and are prescribed only after seeking expert advice, ensuring their academic integrity. However, he acknowledged that affordability is a key priority, enabling parents from lower-income strata to access these resources without undue financial burden. "Our books are affordable so that people like parents belonging to the lower strata of income can buy them with ease," he stated.

Dr Manhas questioned the prevailing standards that deem exorbitantly priced books as the benchmark for quality education.

Dr Manhas decried the potential emergence of a "textbook mafia," where cosmetic factors like glossy pages and vibrant colours take precedence over substantive content. "You will say the standard is a glazed page and a colourful thing. Does that give you knowledge or education? No" he asserted.

Underscoring the JKBOSE's commitment to accessibility, the Chairman shared heartwarming accounts of blessings received from lower-middle-class families grateful for the board's affordable offerings. "I meet so many people from the lower-middle class who come to us and give blessings. In Kashmir, people give so many blessings. At the airport, if you meet someone at the counter, they give blessings."

While acknowledging the JKBOSE's limited mandate in addressing allegations of schools forcing parents to purchase additional books, Dr Manhas clarified that there is no shortage of prescribed textbooks at the board's offices. "BOSE has a limited mandate in this regard; concerned agencies can take appropriate action on these matters," he stated.

The Chairman extended an open invitation to skeptics to witness the board's operations firsthand, suggesting transparency as the key to dispelling misconceptions.