Chandigarh: Educationists and parents in Chandigarh and Punjab welcomed the suggestion of Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday to scrap the Class 10 board examination.

D.S. Bedi, director of Shivalik group of schools which has institutions in Chandigarh as well as various towns in Punjab, told sources "If this proposal materialises, it would be a blessing for both children and their parents. As most of the times children have immense pressure on them in Class 10 and it interferes in their normal growth."

"The pressure at this level is very alarming as in many cases we have seen that children could not withstand it and took extreme steps like committing suicide," he said.

"Moreover, after Class 10 a student has to still study in the school so what is the use of board exams? Till school level, the child's competition should be only among his own classmates," Bedi said.

Ashish Sharma, a parent and a teacher who teaches mathematics to Class 10 in a school here, said: "The education system of India is quite tough in the whole world and there is a drastic need to make such amendments. We are not here to churn out mere engineers or doctors but our requirement is of better individuals."

"This decision would certainly make our life more relaxed. It would prevent our children from becoming bookworms and they can concentrate well on other activities," said Purnima Verma, a parent.

However, the Punjab education minister favoured the continuance of Class 10 board exams.

"Although I have not gone through Sibal's proposal but my personal immediate reaction to it is that nothing can replace exams and they should be there," Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur told sources here on Thursday.

"Studies till Class 10 are the first phase of a student's life and competition in every class has its own relevance. They prepare the students for the next phases of studies that are Class 11 onwards and at post-graduation level," she said.

She added there were many other ways to reduce the pressure, like introducing the semester system in Class 10 to lessen the workload and make provisions for internal assessment. IANS