The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is planning to introduce Open Book Examinations (OBE) for students in Classes 9 to 12, aligning with recommendations from the new National Curriculum Framework released last year.
In this system, students are permitted to refer to their class notes, textbooks, or other study materials during the examination
CBSE has proposed a trial run of open-book tests in select schools for English, Mathematics, and Science subjects for Classes 9 and 10, and English, Mathematics, and Biology for Classes 11 and 12.
OBE aims to evaluate students’ response and the time taken to complete such tests. However, officials have also clarified the limited scope—for now, the CBSE has no plans to adopt the open-book system for major exams like the 10th and 12th Boards.
However, OBEs are not necessarily simpler than closed-book exams; they often pose greater challenges as they assess a student’s understanding, analytical skills, and ability to apply concepts rather than mere memorisation.
The trial, slated for November-December this year, will focus on evaluating higher-order thinking skills, application, analysis, critical and creative thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
CBSE aims to finalise the design and development of the OBE pilot by June and will collaborate with Delhi University (DU) for consultation.
While deliberating the proposal, CBSE’s curriculum committee had discussed the importance of developing high-quality textbooks to ensure students comprehend and embrace this new assessment method.
Some committee members had also suggested having teachers undertake open-book exams first to familiarise themselves with the concept.
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