Kapil Sibal, on Tuesday, mentioned that from the coming year Central Board of Secondary Education examination will be optional and a nine point grading system would be implemented replacing the marks system. The minister denied the claim that one national board will replace all existing 42 state education boards. He added that the attempt was to make a child friendly educational system and not forcing rules down throats of the people. It was in 2005 that the bill to make class X board exams optional was passed by Central Advisory Board on Education, the country's top education policy-making body which has state education ministers as members. Same was also suggested by National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in order to reduce stress on children, in 2006. Sibal explained that Class 10 exams will be made optional for those children who want to continue in the same school. Continuous internal assessment will decide whether a child will be promoted to class XII. The new system has following additional features. Those who secure over 90% will get grade A. Mark sheets won't use the term failed for students who score less than 33% in particular subject. They will be given an E grade that will imply improvement required. And only when a student gets an E in more than one subject, student will be considered as failed. The grades consist of A, A1, B, B1, C,C1, D, D and E.
For prescribed affiliation from CBSE, internal assessment is mandatory for students till class 10. However, CBSE will continue to conduct exams for those students who wish to join pre-university professional courses. There is already an existence a grading system in place till class 9.
