New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Following the news reports about Physics and Mathematics being no longer compulsory for engineering courses as per the AICTE approved handbook for 2021-22, AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe has clarified that the subjects will continue to hold importance.
Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics will continue to be important subjects in engineering courses and it is not mandatory for state government or institutions to offer these courses to students who have not studied them in class 12, the AICTE said on Friday.
Addressing a presser, Sahasrabudhe said students opting for streams like Biotechnology, Textile or Agriculture Engineering will have an option to not study these subjects in class 12.
"Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics will continue to be important subjects for certain streams of engineering like mechanical engineering. For streams like Textile Engineering, Agriculture or may be Biotechnology, students will have an option of not studying the three subjects compulsorily in class 12 and make up for them through bridge courses later," he said.
In its revised rules as per reforms in the new National Education Policy (NEP), AICTE has given a list of 14 subjects- Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electronics, Information Technology, Biology, Informatics Practices, Biotechnology, Technical Vocational subject, Engineering Graphics, Business Studies, Entrepreneurship- of which students need to pass in any three subjects with a minimum of 45 per cent marks in class 12 board exam to be eligible to apply for admission into engineering courses.
"Universities and the state governments may continue to have the same three subjects of Maths, Physics and Chemistry, as mandatory. This is purely a window of opportunity which is open, but not restricting, or forcing or making it mandatory that any three subjects can and should be allowed," PTI quoted Sahasrabudhe as saying.