In a significant step aimed at reforming the educational system in India, the Central Government on Monday announced the Standard X examinations, held under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), will become optional from the 2010-11 session.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal told a press conference here that the Class X examination will become optional from the 2010-11 session.

The students will be able to take exams on demand after the board is abolished, he added.

“The schools can also conduct exams if the students want to switch over to different schools to get a admission in class XI,” Sibal said.

Sibal said the CBSE Class X exam system will be abolished from 2010-11 but the current batch (2009-10) of students will have their exams on schedule.

The grading system will replace the current system in the ongoing 2009-10 and the students of the current batch will get only grades not marks, said Sibal.

The government has introduced the grading system to reduce the pressure on students, the minister said.