Bhubaneswar, Dec. 22: Teachers, parents and students stand divided on the CBSE governing body's announcement to make board exams for Class X mandatory from 2018.

CBSE students can choose between exams held by the board or the school now. The human resource development ministry opined that it was discriminatory to allow only CBSE students to opt for board exams when students in all other boards were taking them.

Although most schools in the city have welcomed the move, a good many of them appeared irritated at the frequent changes in exam patterns.

"Every time there is a new minister, the guidelines change. It seems that the ministry is functioning at the whims and fancies of these politicians. Five years ago, they cancelled the board exams and introduced the continuous comprehensive evaluation (CCE) system and talked about its benefits and how it will bring about the overall development of our wards," said Parthasarthi Rath, a parent.

Rath added: "Suddenly they found it obsolete and brought in new rules. I hope that they don't change it once again after a new government comes in power after 2019."

However, a majority of school authorities welcomed the idea. "We welcome the decision. It would certainly motivate the brighter students to perform better. The slow learners, too, can encash on the internal assessment to be done at the school level. Overall, it will provide a preparatory platform for all categories of students," said regional director of DAV schools K.C. Sathpathy.

"We were being taught according to the old format. Since we could opt for the board exams, many students like me had been concentrating on other entrance exams. But with this sudden change, many average students are tensed. Not that we will have to prepare more but the very term "board exam" triggers fear. At the same time, the high scorers are happy about the move," said Sarabjit Singh, a Class IX student of Mothers Public School.

Educator Sulagna Pattnaik said the CBSE dropped the CCE system without any feedback from schools or parents just when the system was working wonders.

"There was no reason why we are reverting to the hackneyed examination system that was removed stating that it had led to undue stress and fear of examination among students. They should not be rushing into changes without weighing the pros and cons of dropping a wonderful system like the CCE," he said.