Gote, Be. (1997). A Critical Study of Geography Textbooks for Standard 1 to 5 as per the Syllabus Prescribed by the Government of Maharasthra in 1989. Unpublished. Ph.D., Education. University of Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The objectives of study were: (1) To study the External Physical Features of the text books. (2) To find out the relation between Content in the text books and Objectives of teaching as per the syllabus. (3) To find out the relation between Geographical Concepts and Content in the text books. (4) To find out whether the units in the text- books are arranged by using Concentric Method and is it enough or not. (5) To find out relation between Illustrations & Content. (6) To find out whether the Content & Exercise in the textbooks are relevant. (7) To find out whether the Content in textbooks is correlated to each other internal branches of Geography subject, other school subjects and human life. (8) To find out relation between Geographical Values and Content in the textbooks. (9) To find out whether the content in textbooks is relevant to the core elements in NPE, 1986. (10) To find out whether the textbooks are useful for the students in rural area as well as urban area also.

The data was collected with the help of Opinionaire. 

The data was analyzed by computing percentage.

The findings of study were: (1) The content in each text book is relevant to the Objectives of Geography subject at primary level. (2) The units in each textbooks are arranged with proper sequence and are also as per psychological principle like attractive introduction that is based on a pre-various knowledge of the concerned students. (3) The arrangement of the units in a textbook for each standard is as per the maxim easy to difficult and most of the units are arranged according to Concentric Method. (4) The language in each textbook is easy to understand by the respective students in each standard with standardized words and Geographical terminology. (5) Explanation of Geographical Concepts in the textbooks is proper and enough. (6) The Illustrations for an understanding of the content in the textbooks are appropriate and sufficient. But the maps are used in the textbooks for standard 3 to 5 only which are also useful and enough. (7) The pictures in the textbooks are sufficient but not attractive. Most of the teachers have suggested that; the pictures in the textbooks should be coloured to make them attractive. (8) A list of the reference books for supplementary reading is not given in any textbook. Most of the teachers have suggested that a list of the reference book should be given in each textbook. (9) The content in each textbook shows appropriate correlation between internal branches of Geography subject, other school subjects and human life also. (10) Each unit in the textbooks is given proper weightage. It has sufficient explanation that is easy to understand by the students in respective standard. (11) The content and exercises in the textbooks are easy to understand for the concerned age group of the students and are useful in life also. (12) The content in the textbooks helps to inculcate the Geographical Values in the mind of students. (13) The content in the textbooks involves higher percentage of five core elements of NPE, 1986 as Cultivation of National Integrity, Common Cultural Heritage, Protection of Environment, Eradication of Social Obstructions and Scientific Attitude while too less percentage is found regarding Sex equality and ideal of small family.

Keyword(s): Critical Study, Geography , Government of Maharasthra, Syllabus