One of the most positive developments in Indian education over the last decade is the democratisation of learning resources. Today, a student in a small town in Chhattisgarh has access to the same quality of maths instruction as a student in a Mumbai IIT coaching centre — if they know where to look. Here are the best free resources, organised by type.
Interactive Apps and Tools
MathVis (postlister.com/mathvis)
The most visually focused maths formula learning tool built specifically for Indian curricula. 40+ formulas from Class 1 to PhD, each with interactive visual, step-by-step solver, quiz, tricks and videos. Works offline. No login required. Covers CBSE, ICSE, and State Board syllabi.
Best for: Understanding formulas deeply, not just memorising them. Particularly strong for visual learners and for Class 6-12 core maths.
GeoGebra (geogebra.org)
A world-class interactive geometry and algebra tool. Draw geometric constructions, visualise functions, and explore calculus graphically. The free version is completely capable.
Best for: Class 9-12 geometry, coordinate geometry, and calculus visualisation. JEE preparation graphical understanding.
Wolfram Alpha (wolframalpha.com)
The most powerful free computational tool available. Type any mathematical expression and get not just the answer but the complete working, graphs, and alternative representations.
Best for: Checking complex calculations, exploring what a function looks like, verifying derivation steps.
YouTube Channels for Indian Students
Khan Academy India
The Indian-content branch of the global Khan Academy is carefully aligned to CBSE and covers Class 6-12 comprehensively. The explanations are slow, clear, and progressively built.
Best for: Building concepts from the beginning. Particularly good for students who feel "behind" on a topic.
Vedantu (YouTube Channel)
Covers live and recorded classes from experienced CBSE and competitive exam teachers. The quality varies by teacher, but the top instructors are excellent.
Best for: Board exam preparation, especially if you want explanation in Hinglish.
Physics Wallah
Originally a physics channel that now covers Class 11-12 maths comprehensively, with JEE-level problem solving. Rohit Gupta and Alakh Pandey make difficult topics accessible.
Best for: Class 11-12 and JEE maths, especially complex numbers, matrices, and calculus.
Websites and PDF Resources
NCERT Official Website (ncert.nic.in)
Download every NCERT textbook, exemplar problem book, and solutions for free. NCERT is the most reliable source for board exam preparation — use it as your primary text, not a secondary one.
CBSE Academic (cbseacademic.nic.in)
Past papers, sample papers, marking schemes, and the official curriculum for every year. Download the last 10 years of papers for your class and solve them — this is the single highest-ROI activity for board exam preparation.
BYJU'S Exam Prep (free tier)
The free tier gives access to a surprisingly large number of topic-wise practice questions with explanations. Quality of explanation is good.
Free Apps on Phone
- Photomath: Point your camera at a written maths problem and get instant step-by-step solution. Excellent for checking homework, but use it to verify your working, not to bypass doing it.
- Brilliant.org: Free tier includes several excellent problem-solving courses. Good for developing mathematical thinking, not just formula application.
- MathVis PWA: Install at postlister.com/mathvis by adding to home screen — works offline, loads instantly.
Building Your Study Stack
Rather than using all these resources, build a focused stack:
- Primary text: NCERT textbook for your class
- Concept understanding: MathVis (for formula visuals and derivations) + Khan Academy (for concept building from scratch)
- Practice questions: CBSE sample papers + BYJU'S Exam Prep
- Problem checking: Wolfram Alpha or Photomath
- Visual exploration: GeoGebra for geometry and calculus
More resources is not better. Three resources used deeply beat ten resources used superficially. Pick your stack and stick to it.