AICTE Scraps Mandatory Maths In Class 12th For Engineering Colleges!

Shamik Banerjee

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AICTE Scraps Mandatory Maths In Class 12th For Engineering Colleges!

0 min read

Table of content:

Mathematics No Longer A Requirement
Provision for Covid-19 Orphans

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), which modulates technical education in the country, issued revised norms on engineering education for the next academic year. In order to ensure that the technical curriculum remains relevant and challenging in a changed academic context. Relevant modifications have been integrated into the Approval Process Handbook which is published annually by the AICTE.

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Mathematics No Longer A Requirement

One of the major revisions mentioned in AICTE’s latest guideline makes Mathematics in Grade 12 no longer a requirement to be eligible for 10 out of 29 Diploma/ UG courses.

“As per the National Education Policy 2020, the school education system is divided into 5+3+3+4. The last four years are not going to be arts, science, and commerce streams. They will be studying a liberal arts type of stream where they can take math, physics, and psychology or chemistry and computer science. It will help students join any other new program when they complete Class 12. This window of opportunity or program is being allowed with proper bridge courses in the first two semesters,” AICTE chairman Anil D Sahasrabudhe told principals in an online meeting.

In 1/3rd of diploma/UG courses in engineering, Math as a subject will now be optional and those who studied any of the following 14 subjects will be eligible to pursue engineering courses.

Computer science
Electronics
Information Technology
Biology
Biotechnology
Technical/ Vocational Subject
Agriculture
Engineering Graphics
Informatics Practices
Business Studies
Entrepreneurship

In 2021-22, AICTE decided to make Mathematics and Physics optional in engineering courses but the decision drew a lot of flak from experts. Many said that the importance of these core science subjects cannot be understated during engineering admissions.

According to E Balagurusamy, the former VC of Anna University, “Minimum foundational level physics, math, chemistry is mandatory for BE, BTech courses. When AICTE says colleges need to conduct bridge courses, it indirectly accepts that these subjects are important for engineering.”

On the other hand, some experts suggested that this move will give a lot of flexibility to the students. “It provides students, who have chosen different subjects in higher secondary, an opportunity to pursue professional degree programs,” the vice-chancellor of Sastra, S Vaidhyasubramaniam said. Also read;

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Provision for Covid-19 Orphans

AICTE has also decided to make provisions for reserving two seats per course for Covid orphaned children. The seats will be reserved in all polytechnic colleges under AICTE. Additional provisions have also been made for “gifted and talented” students in selected AICTE approved colleges. According to reports, the revised provisions will be applicable starting with the 2022-23 season.

The additional provision for seats has been created on a supernumerary basis and it will not affect the existing number of seats (including reserved seats). These revision has come in the backdrop of the recommendations made by the National Education Policy 2020.

The scheme will cover all children below 18 who have lost both parents/ surviving parent/ legal guardian/ adoptive parents due to Covid 19 pandemic (between March 3, 2020, and February 28, 2022).