NEW DELHI: Class X students may no longer have to memorise Maths or Science tables and formulae. A five-member panel, which drafted the national policy on education, has recommended that tables should be provided in the question paper. It aims to stopping rote learning, but academicians are cautious.
The panel said availability of tables and formulae will help students focus on higher order thinking skills of application and analysis. CBSE’s ex-chairman Ashok Ganguly said exam boards should be careful about what kind of formulae should be put in question papers. “Maths is about practicing, and at no point of time should it be seen as discouraging students from doing so,” he said. “Providing a simple formulae such as (a+b) 2 = a2 + 2ab + b2 may not be a good idea.”
“The changes suggested to the type of questions, if implemented, will also help reduce student and parent stress and anxiety significantly,” the panel said.
Officials in the Ministry of Human Resource Development said the suggestion may not be acceptable to all the education boards as it would invite criticism from those holding traditional views on teaching pedagogy. Former UGC member M M Ansari said is an “impracticable” advice and that a voluminous question paper with tables and formulae will raise fear among students.