Although many people would like to disagree with this point of view, but it is a fact that using such books do seem to have certain acim in the current times. With the levels of competition reaching new heights and not only parents but even educational intuitions wanting the students to excel in all subjects, the children are facing tremendous pressure. In the past few years, it has become nearly impossible for students to get admission in good colleges even after scoring A grade in all subjects. In such a scenario guide books provide an easy way to master the topics that are most likely to appear in the exams and hence ensure excellent marks.
Another advantage of using these books is that they can be used in the form of reference books or for gaining additional knowledge about a topic. Most often these books contain many problems along with their solutions, which despite being extremely important in the learning process are often not found in reference or text books. However, this method can work only for students who do not restrict themselves strictly to guide books for studying or even preparing for the exams.
Disadvantages of Guide Books
Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of using guide books to prepare for exams is that it encourages students to cram rather than learn by understanding the practical concept of any topic. While this might prove helpful in attaining better marks, it definitely hinders the mental growth of the children and makes them incapable of handling practical problems in their professional lives.
Another major disadvantage of using these books is that, students seem less inclined to learn the entire topic and rather focus on just its few segments which are covered in the guide book. This not only limits the extent of knowledge they gain but can also ruin their prospects of scoring good marks as they would not be able to answer questions about anything they have not read about.
Many people also feel that guide books are largely responsible for curbing the sense of curiosity among students, which is extremely important for their overall growth and learning. The need to ask questions and seek their answers is definitely reduced in students, who rely solely on such books as a means of exam study.
Whether or not Guide books should be banned is beyond the scope of this write-up. But we can surely say that like most other things, the use of these books can also prove beneficial while having certain drawbacks at the same time. It is ultimately the choice of the students and the guidance of parents and teachers, which decides how the guidebooks are to be used