75% state CBSE students prefer board exams

About 75% of the state's class X CBSE students have registered to take the board exams to be held in March 2011. This is the first year that the CBSE board has made class X board exams optional to reduce stress among students. In Maharashtra, 15,948 students have registered to appear for the  board exams while 5,063 have opted for the school-conducted final exams. However, across India, 67% of the 11 lakh class X CBSE students have opted not to take the board exams, said CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi.

According to Joshi, a large number of students from previous years in Maharashtra have left the CBSE board after class X to join the state board junior colleges. This could explain why more students in the state have opted to take the board exams.

Even though Wednesday was the last day for students to choose between the exams, a board official said that students could make changes up to December 21. "The figures will hardly change between now and then," added the official.

Students taking the board exams and those taking the school final exams will get grades instead of marks