The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has decided to offer mathematics as an option to non-science students of senior secondary classes from this year onwards in accordance with the system followed by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The students who have opted for the medical stream at present are also allowed to study mathematics in classes XI and XII, though the number of such students is very limited.

The students and parents have been demanding to allow non-science students to opt for the subject. Once the state government has given its approval, the state board has accepted the recommendation of its executive committee after much deliberation.

Anju Sharma, Principal Secretary (Higher & Technical Education) confirmed: “it was decided that we should also allow the students who are willing to take the subject in classes XI and XII since other boards like CBSE have not restricted mathematics to only the science stream”.

Considering a discouraging number of students making it through the national and state medical entrance exams and thousands of seats going vacant in engineering institutes each year the response to the decision that was awaited has finally been taken.