Mathematics paper shock for students

Dear Sir,

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) mathematics question paper for India’s Plus Two examinations conducted last week came as a huge disappointment. I was literally in tears at the exam hall.
Since the maths question paper has been tough for the last couple of years, I had spent a lot of time preparing for its exam, compared to other subjects. In the past, my elder brother had a bitter experience with mathematics although he had done well in almost all other subjects in the Plus Two exams.
As CBSE question papers are getting tougher every year, our teachers had taken special efforts to prepare us, giving us model papers to practise and even arranging special coaching.
Because of these efforts, I was quite confident before seeing the question paper at the exam hall. But a glance at the paper made me a nervous wreck.
Many  questions were quite tricky and even difficult to grasp. They were also quite lengthy, especially those related to the calculus portion. It seemed that CBSE deliberately wanted to fail most of us.
Mathematics marks play a vital role in choosing our future course of studies. At the moment I feel my future is at stake. I suggest the CBSE may assign the job of preparing question papers to experienced maths teachers and not to Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) professors who normally set question papers for university or post-graduate students.
The model question paper released by the CBSE didn’t match with its actual paper at all.
Taking into consideration of all these factors, I request India’s education authorities to adopt a lenient approach and grant grace marks while evaluating our answer sheets.

Neda Ashraf, 12th class student, Doha, (e-mail address supplied)

Mobile phone ‘addiction’

Dear Sir,

Mobile phones have become the key element of many peoples’ lives these days, it seems. I often watch people busy talking or texting on their mobile phones while driving cars, riding bikes or walking. This is a worrying trend indeed.
Mobile phones should make our lives better and not complicated. The gadgets should serves us; we should not become their salves. I believe people go for the latest gadgets to impress others and not because they are really needed. Owning the latest mobile models has become a status symbol.
Those using mobile phones when driving cars or riding bikes not only put their lives in danger but also those of others.
The youth are especially addicted to their mobile phones. Parents should exercise some control when children insist that they want the latest phone models.

Ashfaq Sharif, ashfaqsharifcute@gmail.com

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