Class 12 Mathematics And Physics Not Compulsory For Engineering Aspirants: What It Means

All India Council for Technical Education, AICTE has released its approval process handbook 2021-22 recently. As per the AICTE handbook, the eligibility criteria for UG admissions have been changed. Class 12 Mathematics and Physics are not anymore compulsory for Engineering Aspirants.

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What are the changed rules?

As of now, class 12 mathematics and physics are compulsory for taking admission undergraduate engineering courses, B.E/ B. Tech. In its revised rules, the technical regulator has given a list of 14 subjects ¡ª physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, electronics, information technology, biology, informatics practices, biotechnology, technical vocational subject, engineering graphics, business studies, entrepreneurship.

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Students need to pass in any three subjects (from the list) with a minimum of 45 per cent marks in the class 12 board exam to be able to apply for admission in undergraduate courses in engineering, according to the revised rules of the AICTE.

What has AICTE said?

The new amendments by AICTE have received various criticisms as class 12 mathematics is considered the foundation for engineering. Bridge course will not be able to replace class 12th mathematics as it is only a remedial course, and the engineering curriculum has mathematics till the fifth semester.

¡°Universities will offer suitable bridge courses such as mathematics, physics, engineering drawing, etc for the students coming from diverse backgrounds to achieve desired learning outcome of the programme,¡± the AICTE provides in the Approval Process Handbook 2021-22.

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According to education experts, various emerging courses like data science and artificial intelligence would require a lot of understanding of mathematics. So, AICTE must rethink the amendments done in the approval process handbook 2021-22.

Why is it good?

The technical education regulator has opened up engineering courses for students coming from ¡°diverse backgrounds¡± aligning its regulations with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which stipulates that there should not be any hard separations between the arts, sciences, commerce and vocational education.

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The AICTE chairman said, "It¡¯s not optional, but the subject options engineering discipline has been expanded. Similar, there would be different mandatory courses for different disciplines".

Students will be given increased flexibility and choice of subjects to study, ¡°particularly in secondary school¡± so that they can design their paths of study and life plans, the NEP provides.