CBSE will hold pilot run of open book exams for classes 9 to 12 in November. Check detail

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is thinking about introducing Open-Book Examinations (OBE) for students in Classes 9 to 12. This aligns with recommendations from the National Curriculum Framework released last year.

Open-book exams let students use their notes, textbooks, and study materials during the test. They’re seen as a modern way to assess students’ understanding of subjects. Unlike traditional exams, open-book tests encourage critical thinking and applying concepts rather than memorization.

CBSE plans to try open-book tests in some schools for subjects like English, Mathematics, and Science for Classes 9 and 10, and English, Mathematics, and Biology for Classes 11 and 12. The trial run, set for November-December, will check how long students take and gather feedback.

Despite misconceptions, open-book exams have challenges, focusing on understanding, thinking critically, and using information effectively, not just memorizing.

CBSE aims to finish planning the OBE pilot by June, getting help from Delhi University, which successfully did open-book tests in 2020. CBSE will decide whether to use open-book exams for all Classes 9 to 12 based on the pilot’s results.

Delhi University faced challenges but managed to do online open-book exams in August 2020, getting approval from the Delhi High Court. The court said DU could do online open-book tests with some rules to make sure they were fair for final-term students.

CBSE exploring open-book exams shows it’s adapting assessment methods to meet changing educational needs.