Experts allay students' fears

Chennai: As the CBSE mathematics paper shattered the dreams of students getting full marks, teachers while analysing the paper, believe that the tough mathematics paper will not create any problem in seeking admission in professional colleges.

According to a mathematics teacher from a renowned school, the CBSE mathematics paper is application oriented. She said, “In state board examination, questions come from textbooks. Not so in the CBSE.  This year some of the sums had slightly more steps. Last year too, the mathematics paper was tough.” She added that the question paper was equal to that of IIT JEE. But this prepares students better and will not affect their seeking admission in colleges like IIT or other engineering colleges.

Minoo Agwarwal, principal of DAV School, Velachery, also agreed that students need not worry about college admission. She added that the mathematics paper was based on application. Students said that there was a lot of complexity in solving the sums and it took time to understand them. If students are not thorough with applications it will be difficult for them, she said.

Career consultant Jayaprakash Gandhi said that in comparison to state board papers, the CBSE paper is better as it helps students to prepare for IITs and other colleges. “If this maths paper was given to state board students, I am sure all of them would have flunked. The CBSE students will score nearly 70 per cent. If not 70, 50 percent will also be considered good marks,” he said.

Former Directorate of Government Examinations K. Devarajan agreed that the CBSE pattern prepares students better than the state board examination which is theory based unlike the CBSE.