October 16, 2025, 5:23 pm
Here's something you've probably experienced: staring at a math problem for the third time, and the numbers still don't connect. Maybe algebra feels like a foreign language, or geometry proofs won't stick, no matter how many times you look at them.
You're not alone. NCERT's National Achievement Survey shows a concerning pattern: math scores drop from 64% in Class 3 to 54% in Class 5, and then fall further to just 42% in Class 8. But here's the thing, it's usually not about ability. It’s about how math is taught and how those gaps in learning build up over time.
There’s a big difference between understanding something and just memorising it. You might solve problems easily one day, then draw a complete blank during exams. You remember formulas but panic when the question gets reworded slightly. At some point, "I'm just bad at math" becomes the story you tell yourself.
But these struggles have clear causes. Once you understand what's going wrong, you can fix it.
Let's break down why CBSE math feels so overwhelming and what actually works.
Remember when math was simple? Counting apples, calculating cricket scores, and measuring ingredients. That was concrete math, you could see it and touch it.
Then Class 6 hits. And everything changes overnight. Suddenly, you're dealing with negative numbers (how can you have less than zero?), algebraic variables (what even is 'x'?), and geometry proofs that require logical thinking you haven't really developed yet.
This is where many students start falling behind. Research on Indian students reveals an interesting finding: children who use complex math in real-life situations, like bargaining with vegetable vendors or calculating bus fares, often struggle significantly with the same calculations when presented as abstract school math. It's not that they can't do math. The shift from concrete to abstract thinking hasn’t been made clear.
I've seen this happen often. A student scores 90% in Class 5, then suddenly drops to 65% in Class 6. Not because they stopped trying, but because nobody explained how to make this mental shift. Your brain needs a connection between concrete math and abstract thinking. Most textbooks just expect you to figure it out on your own.
Math is different from other subjects. You can’t skip around. Each concept builds directly on the one before it. If you don’t fully understand fractions in Class 6, see what happens next.
Algebra gets confusing in Class 7 because algebraic expressions are really fractions with letters. Percentages seem impossible in Class 8 since they’re just fractions in disguise. Probability doesn’t make sense in Class 9 because it depends on fractional outcomes. And in Class 10, good luck with trigonometry if your foundation is weak.
Teachers call this "Swiss cheese knowledge." Your understanding is full of gaps. You memorise that the area of a circle is πr², but if someone asks what π actually means, you freeze. You solve quadratic equations by following the steps, but you have no idea why those steps work.
Here’s what makes this tricky: you can still get decent marks for a while. You recognise types of problems, apply memorised steps, and score 60-70% on chapter tests. Your parents see those marks and think everything’s fine.
Then the board exams come. Questions combine different concepts. Problems get rephrased. The memorised patterns don’t apply anymore. That’s when you realise you never really understood the math; you just got good at pretending.
The National Curriculum Framework 2023 addresses this issue. It states that Indian education faces serious challenges, including "literacy and numeracy, rote memorisation, narrow goals, and inadequate resources." The system itself acknowledges the problem.
By Class 7 or 8, you've probably felt real anxiety about math. It starts small one bad test score. Add parental pressure, compare yourself to classmates, and suddenly you believe "I'm not a math person."
Here’s what happens in your brain: when you face math with anxiety, your working memory actually drops. Problem-solving becomes much harder. This creates a tough cycle.
Do poorly → feel more anxious → avoid practising because it stresses you out → do even worse → anxiety increases. It just spirals.
As board exams get closer, the pressure multiplies. You've struggled quietly through middle school, and now, Class 10 math seems to affect your entire future. For some students, this anxiety can become completely paralysing.
This is probably the most frustrating thing. Concepts make perfect sense when your teacher explains them. Then a week later or during exams, your mind goes blank.
Why does this happen? When you focus on short-term memorisation instead of deep understanding, your brain treats information as temporary. Without genuine engagement and clear concepts, mathematical understanding can easily disappear.
Here's what actually fixes this:
Wrong signs, missed decimals, rushed arithmetic, these "silly mistakes" feel absolutely devastating when every mark matters. Here's what really works.
Keep an error log. Track every single mistake. After solving 20-30 problems, you'll start seeing patterns. Do you consistently mess up negative signs? Drop decimal points? Skip simplification steps? Once you know your patterns, you can actively watch for them.
Use a two-pass system. First pass: solve the problem. Second pass immediately after: check arithmetic line by line. This helps catch mistakes while everything is still fresh in your mind.
Write out every step. Don’t skip steps to save time. Writing everything down helps you earn partial marks if something goes wrong and makes it easier to spot errors.
Estimate before calculating. Before you start detailed work, estimate a reasonable answer. If you're calculating 47 × 23, you should expect a result slightly less than 50 × 25, which equals 1,250. If your answer is 10,811, something clearly went wrong.
You know how to solve problems, but you may struggle to finish the paper. Time management during board exams is absolutely a learnable skill. Here's a simple three-part strategy that works.
First 15 minutes: Scan the entire paper. Mark questions as easy, medium, or hard based on your confidence. Plan your sequence, don't just go in order.
Next 150 minutes: Start with easy questions. This helps build confidence and secures marks right away. Then move on to medium difficulty. Finally, tackle the hard ones. If you get stuck on a question for more than 5 minutes, skip it. Circle it and come back later if time allows.
Last 15 minutes: Review calculations. Make sure question numbers match your answers. Finish partial solutions, even incomplete work, can earn you marks.
Practice with previous years' CBSE papers under actual timed conditions. Same time limit, no distractions, no book nearby. Do this 5-6 times before boards. Your confidence and speed will improve significantly.
Word problems can be especially challenging because they require different skills at the same time. You need to translate English into math, figure out what really matters, and then follow a series of steps to reason through.
Try this four-step framework.
Step 1: Read twice, draw once. First, read the problem without trying to solve it. On your second read, draw a simple diagram. A visual representation helps clarify relationships.
Step 2: Convert to pure math. Write down what's given (known values) and what's asked (what you need to find). Then write equations based on the relationships described.
Step 3: Solve and check. Work through your equations. Once you find an answer, plug it back into the original context. Does it make sense? If the problem asks for someone's age and you get -5, something clearly went wrong.
Step 4: Answer what was asked. Ensure your final answer directly responds to the actual question. If it asks, "What is Rahul's current age?" do not just write "x = 15." Instead, write, "Rahul's current age is 15 years."
Focus beats feeling overwhelmed every time. Instead of trying to fix everything at once, use this weekly cycle:
Days 1-2: Choose your weakest topic (coordinate geometry, quadratic equations, or whatever scares you the most). Start with your biggest gap.
Days 3-4: Find quality resources for that topic. Look for explanations that include visuals and real-world connections, not just lists of formulas.
Days 5-6: Practice with understanding. Use the "teach-back" method to explain it to someone or to yourself out loud. This helps move knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.
Day 7: Test yourself with the book closed. Review every mistake carefully. This strengthens your ability to recall information under pressure.
Repeat this exact cycle for each challenging topic. Regular focus each week over several months will turn weak areas into strengths before board exams.
Look for support if you're facing any of these issues:
Support comes in different forms: tutors for one-on-one guidance, study groups where friends explain concepts differently, or visual learning books that break down complex concepts through clear illustrations and step-by-step visual explanations.
The steady drop in math scores from Class 3 to Class 8 is not unavoidable. These struggles are common and completely fixable. You don’t need a special talent. You just need the right approach, time to address gaps in understanding, consistent practice, and an environment where mistakes are learning opportunities instead of failures.
Start with one small change this week. Practice consistently, even if it's just 30 minutes daily. Keep track of your progress in an error log.
Mastering math isn’t about having talent. It’s about Good strategy and being consistent. You may be struggling right now, but you can develop real confidence and skill with the right approach.
