New Delhi, Sep 4 - Making the Class 10 board examination optional is a good move, but it could add to the stress of students who would then take a public exam for the first time in Class 12, a psychologist said here Friday.

'The decision (to make Class 10 board exam optional) can be a problem for the students later because now they will sit for the first public examination in Class 12 which decides their career. It could be very stressing,' said Jitendra Nagpal, a well known child psychologist.

'Making the Class 10 examinations optional will bring along a lot of challenges for the students. Many might find that they are unable to face the stress when they are preparing for Class 12 (exams),' he said at the Lifebuoy National Child Health Symposium on examination stress - a myth or reality.

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal recently announced that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 examination would be made optional and give way to a grading system where students would be evaluated throughout the year.

Schools that have Class 11 and 12 need not conduct the Class 10 exams, but schools that are up to only Class 10 may conduct the examination.

Nagpal nevertheless is in favour of the move and said that the stress levels would definitely come down at the Class 10 level -- of both students and their parents.