[Dr Gete Umbrey]
At a time when the world is rapidly moving towards artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven technologies, an important but less discussed concern is emerging in our educational landscape – the declining interest in mathematics among students.
In Arunachal Pradesh, too, the number of students opting for mathematics after Class 10 and pursuing higher studies in mathematics at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels appears to be decreasing steadily.
While this trend is not unique to our state and is being observed in many parts of the country, its long-term implications for emerging states like ours deserve serious reflection.
One contributing factor may be the removal of compulsory mathematics for medical aspirants in NEET-related pathways, which has encouraged many students to abandon mathematics immediately after Class 10.
However, the issue runs much deeper. Mathematics is increasingly viewed by many students and parents as a difficult subject with limited career opportunities, often associated only with teaching professions. At the same time, the rise of calculators, software, and now artificial intelligence has created a misconception that mathematics itself is becoming less important.
In reality, the opposite is true. The modern technological revolution is built upon mathematics. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptography, data science, computer graphics, financial modelling, robotics, and modern algorithms are deeply rooted in mathematical thinking.
While computers and AI can perform calculations and even generate codes at remarkable speed, the underlying abstractions, logical structures, and algorithms still originate from human reasoning and mathematical insight. Technology may automate routine tasks, but creativity, abstraction, and problem formulation remain fundamentally human intellectual strengths.
The nations currently leading in AI and advanced technologies are not neglecting mathematics; rather, they are investing heavily in it. Countries such as China, the United States, Russia, Singapore, and South Korea continue to strengthen mathematical education, Olympiad culture, and algorithmic thinking among students. Many leading innovators in technology and AI possess strong mathematical backgrounds. Mathematics is not merely about solving textbook equations; it is a training ground for logical reasoning, pattern recognition, structured thinking, and problem-solving abilities that are essential in the knowledge economy of the future.
This does not mean every student must become a mathematician. Society requires people from diverse disciplines. However, a society that gradually loses interest in mathematical thinking may eventually participate in the technological economy mainly as consumers of systems designed elsewhere, rather than as creators of new technologies and ideas. For a developing state like Arunachal Pradesh, the challenge is not only economic growth but also intellectual preparedness for the future.
At the same time, mathematics educators must also introspect honestly. Students often fear mathematics because it is taught as a rigid collection of formulas and procedures rather than as a creative and meaningful way of thinking. If mathematics education remains disconnected from modern applications, innovation and real-world problem solving, many students will naturally drift away from it. The need of the hour is therefore not merely to ‘promote mathematics’, but to make students understand why mathematical thinking matters in today’s world.
Encouragingly, positive steps have also begun to emerge within the state. From 2025 onwards, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, through the Department of Youth Affairs, has started recognising and awarding state Olympiad achievers and national-level Olympiad participants. This is a significant and forward-looking initiative, as it acknowledges academic excellence and analytical talent among students. Such recognition can play an important role in motivating young minds to engage with higher-level problem solving, logical thinking, and scientific learning.
Arunachal possesses immense young talent. With sustained institutional support, proper mentoring, and greater public awareness, our students can contribute not only as users of technology but also as creators, innovators, and problem solvers capable of contributing meaningfully to the technological future of the nation. In the age of artificial intelligence, the importance of mathematics is not diminishing; it is evolving from manual calculation to higher abstraction, reasoning, and intelligent problem-solving. Recognising this reality may prove crucial for the future intellectual and technological development of our state. (The writer is an educator and regional coordinator of Mathematical Olympiad, Arunachal Pradesh)