AICTE makes Physics, Chemistry and Maths optional for UG technical courses in some streams

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 12

Marking a major shift in education system, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the technical education regulator, has made Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) optional for students opting for UG technical courses like biotechnology, textile or agriculture engineering 

However, PCM will continue to be important subjects for streams like mechanical engineering. Confirming this, AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe said, “For streams like textile engineering, agriculture or may be biotechnology, the students will have an option of not studying the three subjects compulsorily in Class 12.”

The revised regulation is in line with the National Education Policy vision that students should be offered more flexibility in their choice of subjects, especially in secondary school, so that they can chart their career and life path better, he added.

The AICTE has listed PCM among 14 subjects wherefrom students can choose three and secure a minimum 45 per cent in each to take up engineering.

They include physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer science, electronics, information technology, biology, informatics practices, biotechnology, technical vocational subject, engineering graphics, business studies, entrepreneurship. 

A student can study engineering if he gets minimum 45 per cent marks in any three of the above subjects including PCM but can be any other three subjects also. 

Stating that the new approval handbook offers a window of opportunity to those students who don’t study PCM in Class IX and XII, the chairperson also said that it is not mandatory on any state government or institution and they can continue with the admission policy based on PCM. 

Technical institutions can decide on which subjects to adopt.

“The universities will offer suitable bridge courses such as mathematics, physics, engineering drawing, etc., for the students coming from diverse backgrounds to achieve desired learning outcomes of the programme,” according to the new regulation.

Earlier there were reports that physics and mathematics were no longer compulsory for studying engineering as per the approval handbook for 2021-22 issued by AICTE. With two subjects being the core of all engineering courses, concerns were raised about “quality of engineers” the system would produce with many experts terming them “absolute essentials” for a course in engineering.