Assam plans tough and easy papers for mathematics : Education Department

GUWAHATI: Has mathematics come in the way of scoring good marks in examinations? Students in Assam, who are relatively weak in mathematics than other subjects, can find a solution.

The State Education department is contemplating to give school students the option of choosing between a tough and an easy course in General Mathematics.

An Education department official told The Sentinel that the Board of Secondary Education, Assam and State Council of Educational Research & Training will examine a proposal to introduce two versions of the mathematics question paper so that students who are not keen to take up the subject in higher studies do not have to sit for the tougher edition of the test.

“The rationale behind such plan is that students who don’t intend to pursue the study of mathematics at higher classes will be able to avoid the tag that they aren’t good at the subject if they score low marks in it at the high-school level,” the official said.

Giasuddin Ahmed, a retired college teacher on mathematics has termed the plan timely and prudent. “Why should students interested in pursuing humanities and commerce streams in future appear in tough mathematics paper? Lets these students follow standard mathematics paper and score well in examinations,” Ahmed said.

Sneha Das, a teacher at leading private school in the city said SEBA should not only revise the syllabus of mathematics at the school level but also do something to do away with mathematics phobia among many students. “Many students cannot score aggregate good marks as they score low in maths,” she said.

The CBSE recently approved a proposal to have two options - standard mathematics and advanced mathematics - instead of the single mathematics paper now on offer for Plus II students. The present single mathematics paper has a mix of standard and advanced mathematics. The rationale behind the new move is to offer an easier mathematics paper to humanities and commerce students.

Under the proposed system, students of humanities and commerce may take normal (standard) mathematics. Advanced mathematics, dealing with higher mathematics, may be pursued by science students.

Many school boards overseas follow this practice. The Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education has a core curriculum in each subject which is generally within the ability range of a large majority of the students. It also offers an extended curriculum that is designed for students who are academically more brilliant. International Baccalaureate (IB) also provides this flexibility.