Lalitpur, May 14:

Vice-chancellor of the Tribhuvan University, Prof Dr Madhav Prasad Sharma, today said that a country cannot make rapid progress without the development of mathematics and science.

Inaugurating the 29th anniversary of the Nepal Mathematical Society (NMS), Prof Sharma said mathematics should not be left behind for the development of science and technology. He said: “According to international surveys on mathematics and science, those countries that emphasise on the study of mathematics develop faster than other countries.”

“Therefore, development of mathematics is a must for the development of a state,” he said. He stressed the need to prioritise mathematics from the school level.

Dr Hom Nath Bhattarai, vice-chancellor of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, said: “The NMS is not being able to perform its role due to lack of resources.” Professor Dr Binod Kumar Shrestha, member secretary of the University Grant Commission (UGC), said: “India is now challenging the world in science and technology because it did a lot of progress in mathematics and English; so we should also learn something from them.”

He said the state should consult experts and intellectual societies to change the curriculum in universities and schools to enhance the quality of mathematics from the school level. Prof Sharma felicitated Prof Dr Yoga Ratna Sthapit, Prof Dr Dharinidhar Sharma Regmi, Shree Dwarika Nath Gajurel and Dr Tirthananda Baidhya for their contribution in the field of mathematics. Dr Sharma also launched the NMS’s newsletter on the occasion.