UGC maths curriculum begets petition over errors, dilution of core

Over 900 teachers and researchers urge UGC to withdraw the draft undergraduate maths syllabus, citing watered-down algebra, limited applied mathematics, and missing practical components in AI and statistics courses.

New Delhi: The University Grants Commission’s (UGC) new mathematics curriculum for undergraduate students, which incorporates traditional Indian concepts such as Bharatiya Bijganit (Indian algebra) and Kala Ganpana (traditional timekeeping), has sparked a petition by over 900 teachers, researchers, and scholars demanding its withdrawal. Signatories include faculty from the Indian Institute of Science, various IITs, Ashoka University, and other prominent institutions.

“We, the undersigned researchers, teachers, and graduate students in mathematics and related disciplines, are deeply concerned by the UGC draft curriculum for Mathematics, 2025.

It is riddled with grave defects, and if adopted, will damage the prospects of generations of students,” the petition states. It urges the Centre to withdraw the curriculum and instead constitute a committee of expert mathematicians and experienced undergraduate mathematics teachers to redraft it.

Highlighting the curriculum’s flaws, the petition notes that several fundamental concepts have been diluted. “Algebra has been short-changed. At least three courses in algebra are necessary in the undergraduate curriculum. The future of mathematics and indeed all scientific endeavour in the country is at stake,” it asserts.

The petition also criticises the treatment of applied mathematics. “Applied mathematics has been short-changed. Programming and numerical methods have been excluded from the core. Statistics has been condensed into a single course.

In courses covering statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and related fields, it is natural and customary to include practical, application-based components; yet this opportunity has been squandered,” it adds.