Shillong Dec 7: The north eastern region has witnessed an increase in the unemployment problems despite the fact that the literacy rate in the north east is high,
Expressing concerned over the ever growing number of unemployed youth in the region and the state in particular, chairperson of the National Academy of Science, India (NASI)-NER (local chapter-Shillong), Prof Veena Tandon while delivering a speech at the one-day national seminar on the theme ‘Mathematics:
The need of the hour’ for school and college level” as a mark of celebrating the National Year of Mathematics 2012 and to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan at Shillong College here on Friday said that it is a sad state to see that the increased literacy rate in the region cannot be converted into job opportunities for the students pursuing their studies in the field of arts stream and other related subjects.
Lamenting on the fact that there are less number of students who passed out in the science stream, the NASI chairperson informed that in the north east, the enrollment of students in the science stream and commerce stream is very poor adding that during the current year, about 80 percent of students numbering to over 3 lakhs are enrolled into arts stream.
“The root cause of this low percentage of students enrolled in the science stream is their fear psychosis towards the subjects like Science, Mathematics and engineering”, Prof Tandon said while stressing on the efforts to develop a liking at the same time strengthen the infrastructure and enhance facilities for imparting knowledge on Mathematics and its related subjects.
Besides, while highlighting that there is a mathematic phobia amongst the students Ex-Pro Vice Chancellor of NEHU-Tura Prof SS Khare blamed the mechanical teachings in lower levels as the main reason behind this phobia.
“In primary and secondary levels, children were asked to learn by heart the time-tables and the theorems in mathematics which only shows that the proper concept was not given to the students at their early age thereby changing their perception towards this subject from an interesting one to a scariest and difficult subject in schools”, Prof Khare asserted.
While pointing out on the improvement methods Khare stated that there is a need to have quality teachers equipped with basic trainings who will be able to convey the content of the subject to the students.
Elaborating on the greatest contribution of mathematics, the former NEHU Pro VC said “Apart from job potentials, Mathematics also sharpen our minds and makes us more analytical, logical, critical and imaginative.”
Meanwhile, speaking as the chief guest on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong stressed on the need to view the students as potentials in mathematics and further enhance their capability.
“There is no end to the application of mathematics in our lives and there is no end to this subject as visible from the fact that even though, we are not literary mathematician but we deal with this subject every single day of our life”, Lanong said.
The seminar was also attended by the director (HRD and Planning) NEC Sherry Lalthangzo, Principal of Shillong College Dr KD Ramseij, noted professors from all over the north eastern states and mainland India and students from various colleges of the city. (SP News)
