Shimla, Aug 30 - Himachal Pradesh plans to introduce yoga in the state's schools in a phased manner, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said Sunday.

'We are contemplating to introduce yoga in the school syllabus in a phased manner,' Dhumal said at a function held in Chandigarh.

Yoga exponent Swami Ramdev's Patanjali Yogpeeth has promised to help the state in this regard, he said.

State Education Minister I.D. Dhiman has said that yoga will be introduced as an optional subject from class VI to class X from the next session. The subject would be of 100 marks, comprising written examination and practical.

Himachal Pradesh has 1,247 senior secondary schools, 832 high schools, 2,000 middle schools and 1,050 primary schools.