The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is examining a proposal to introduce two versions of the mathematics question paper so that students who aren’t keen to take up the subject in higher studies don’t have to sit for the tougher edition of the test.
The board has received representations to that effect from several schools and principals across the country, people familiar with the development said on condition of anonymity. The proposal is to introduce two versions of the maths paper — one difficult and one relatively easy — for classes 9, 10, 11 and 12.
The rationale is that students who don’t intend to pursue the study of mathematics would 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 subject expert committee is examining the proposal and is working out how the two different levels could be created. This would not only mean a different paper for the students, but a different curriculum,” one of the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.
For instance, students who want to take up engineering and sit for the Join Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and Advanced will be able to study mathematics at the higher level. Those who aspire to study medicine and sit for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) will have the choice of studying the subject at the easier level.
A second official, also requesting anonymity, noted that students aspiring to study economics or medicine don’t need to study higher level mathematics at the high school level, but at present have no option. “Sometimes, this leads to their overall performance coming down. At least this would give students a choice,” this person said.
Once the proposal is approved by the CBSE internally, it will be shared with the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) which is the body responsible for framing school curriculum.
Teachers welcomed the move. “It is an appreciable step. I think there can be uniformity till Class 10 but for Class 11 and 12, the mathematics utility for different streams is different,” said Manisha Paul, a mathematics teacher at the Mathura Road branch of Delhi Public School.