The Bombay Hig Court on Monday asked the education boards in India to consider making Mathematics an optional subject for tenth standard. (Source: IE image)

Over the years maths has been one of the difficult subjects to crack for the students. However, it has always been considered as an important one to succeed in life but what may come as a surprise for a lot of parents and students, The Bombay Hig Court on Monday asked the education boards in India to consider making Mathematics an optional subject for tenth standard students to help them pursue arts or other vocational courses requiring no knowledge of maths, reported PTI. The suggestion was given by a bench that included Justices V M Kanade and AM Badar. It was given during the hearing of a petition filed by a leading psychiatrist, Harish Shetty, raising the issue of students suffering from learning disabilities at school levels and the steps taken by education boards to assist such students.

The statement was given after the High Court observed that many students drop out of schools after the tenth standard as they are not able to clear Maths and language papers. “Subjects like Mathematics are not required in degree courses like arts and other vocational courses. If an option is given to the students not to study Maths, it will help them complete graduation,” Justice Kanade said.

He added that Maharashtra state board should reconsider its old system where the students were allowed to apply for degree courses even if they had passed in at least seven or eight subjects. “The Maharashtra state board till many years had a successful system where students were permitted to apply for degree courses even if they had passed at least seven or eight subjects with or without Maths. We do not know why they (state board) decided to do away with it… Maybe they can consider reverting to the old system,” Justice Kanade said.

However, the bench has asked the education boards to take advice from experts on whether its suggestions can be acted upon. It also adjourned the hearing to July 26.