You have to select EVS textbooks for your students of classes III to V. Which…
2023
You have to select EVS textbooks for your students of classes III to V. Which of the following criteria is most appropriate for this purpose ?
- A.
Pictures in the book should be big and colourful.
- B.
The language should be simple and according to the mental level of students.
- C.
The textbook should be illustrated and appealing to students.
- D.
The textbook should be child-oriented and be devoid of any stereotypes or derogatory attitudes based on gender, caste, class and religion.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept: A good primary-level textbook is judged first by the values and social attitudes its content builds in a child, not simply by how attractive or easy it is to read. Curriculum guidance for classes III to V, such as the National Curriculum Framework, treats freedom from social bias, of gender, caste, class and religion, as the foundational quality check for any textbook, because content that carries hidden stereotypes can shape a child's attitudes long after the lesson is over.
Application: For this question, four possible selection criteria are on offer: picture quality, language level, overall illustration and appeal, and freedom from stereotyped or derogatory content. Since the goal is to protect young learners from absorbing bias while they study EVS, the criterion that directly screens the content for exactly this, a child-oriented text free of gender, caste, class and religion stereotypes, is the one that matches what curriculum guidelines flag as most important, ahead of purely visual or linguistic features.
Cross-check: Comparing each option against this standard:
Big, colourful pictures: improves visual appeal but says nothing about whether the content itself is unbiased or inclusive.
Simple language matched to the students' mental level: aids comprehension but is a readability check, not a content-values check.
Illustrated and appealing presentation: again a presentation quality, not a check on the ideas and attitudes embedded in the text.
Child-oriented and free of gender, caste, class and religion stereotypes: the only option that screens the content itself for bias, matching what curriculum guidance treats as the primary criterion for selecting a textbook for young learners.
Hence, the most appropriate criterion for selecting EVS textbooks for classes III to V is that the textbook should be child-oriented and free of any stereotypes or derogatory attitudes based on gender, caste, class and religion.