Consider making maths optional in Class 10 exam, Bombay HC tells boards

The Bombay high court suggested on Monday that all education boards should consider making mathematics an optional subject for school certificate examinations.

A bench of justice VM Kanade and justice AM Badar observed that those students who chose to pursue Arts or other vocational courses for their undergraduate degrees do not necessarily need knowledge of mathematics.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by psychiatrist Harish Shetty on the need for education boards to assist school students suffering from learning disabilities. On Monday, the bench observed that several students drop out of schools after Class 10 because they are unable to clear maths and language papers.

It said in the 1960s, the state Secondary School Certificate (SSC) board had a successful system where students were permitted to apply for degree courses even if they had cleared seven or eight subjects with or without maths. “The SSC board would give students the option of choosing Sanskrit as an alternative option to general maths, to help students clear their exams. We do not know why the board decided to do away with it. They should take instructions on whether it is possible to revert to the old system,” Kanade said.

“Subjects like Mathematics are not required in degree courses like Arts and other vocational courses. If an option is given to students to not study Maths then it will help them complete graduation,” he said.

In the previous hearing, the court had directed all schools, boards and educational institutions to screen students in primary schools to detect learning disabilities at the earliest stage. The court had also directed schools to keep records of such students who have learning disabilities confidential.

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