Students question AICTE decision on maths, physics

Students question AICTE decision on maths, physics

Farheen.Hussain@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:14.03.2021 

From wisecracks to statements expressing shock, students’ reactions poured in after the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) announced physics and mathematics (PCM) are no longer compulsory subjects for students aspiring to pursue engineering in certain streams.

As per AICTE’s announcement on Friday, for streams such as textile, agriculture engineering and biotechnology, physics and maths in class 12 are not a must. However, the subjects remained mandatory for most engineering streams like computer science.

Pankaj Sharma, a class 12 student from a city school, said the decision is difficult to digest. “Even if it is agriculture or biotechnology, it’s still engineering. I took mathematics even though I am not great at it because the subject is important for engineering. Students like me should be happy, but even I am concerned,” said the resident of Sanjaynagar.

Like Pankaj, several students took to Twitter in disbelief. Navlesh Kumar tagged Union minister for education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and said: “How is this possible? Maths and physics are the basic concepts of engineering. Don’t degrade the quality of engineering education.”

Twitterati also began sharing memes and jokes around the issue, including photos of Einstein and Newton angry over the decision. “AICTE says Math and Physics not must for Engineering. In fact, no subject should be compulsory for doing Engineering. Engineers learn everything after coming out of college anyway,” tweeted EngiNerd.

Some supported the decision. Arun Krishnan said the controversy has erupted because of miscommunication and the decision and may correct the current system, which forces students to follow a fixed route after class 10. Giving an example of flexible stream-shifting in other countries, he tweeted: “It is this kind of flexibility that we ought to have. If a student does NOT take maths/physics in 11/ 12, there ought to be a way for them to get into engineering, provided they have taken the requisite courses...”

Council does a U-turn

Though AICTE withdrew the announcement by Saturday evening and its chairman said the decision is not binding on institutions, some claimed the idea was floated without any consultation with stakeholders. “I wonder how the government just takes a decision like this without public consultation or proposals. Then they withdraw it after a backlash. It has become a norm these days,” said Kavya Srinivasan, parent of an engineering student.

Maths a must for engineering: Experts

B Sadashive Gowda, principal of Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Mysuru, said engineering is a mathsintensive course. “A student who has not opted for maths because s/he is not interested in the subject will lack fundamentals...” he said, adding consultations with subject experts and educationists should be held before such a decision is made.

KN Subramanya, principal of RV College of Engineering, said: “Maths is a must for engineering. The decision may be based on the New Education Policy, which focuses on liberal arts and multi-disciplinary approaches, but engineering cannot be done without maths.”