CBSE Contemplates Open Book Exams for Classes 9-12, Seeks Guidance from DU: Reports – News18

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is allegedly considering the possibility of introducing Open Book Examinations (OBE) for students in Classes 9 through 12. According to the Indian Express, this action is in keeping with the suggestions made in the National Curriculum Framework, which was released last year.

The Board is considering an open-book exam trial phase in certain schools, per the same report. The proposed subjects for Classes 9 and 10 include English, Mathematics, and Science, while Classes 11 and 12 may have tests in English, Mathematics, and Biology. It is projected that the pilot phase will kick off in November or December of 2024. The insights gained from the pilot programme will be taken into consideration when deciding whether to implement this type of assessment for Classes 9 through 12 in all CBSE schools.

In India, open-book examinations have become a unique method of evaluating students’ knowledge and analytical abilities. By giving students access to reference resources during the exam, this form of assessment encourages comprehension and application over rote learning. Open-book exams provide a flexible approach that promotes subject comprehension and prepares students to solve problems in the real world.

According to the Indian Express, CBSE aims to finalise the design and development of the OBE pilot by June and has chosen to seek guidance from Delhi University (DU) in this endeavour.

It is noteworthy that DU had already implemented open-book exams in August 2020, despite facing opposition and challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dean of Examination at DU instructed Heads of Departments (HODs) to create question papers for OBEs. The university also issued detailed guidelines for teachers and students, emphasising the need for adherence to specific procedures in framing the question papers and for those taking the exam from their homes.

Meanwhile, the CBSE has commenced the Class 10 and 12 board exams for 2024 on February 15, with an end date of March 13 for Class 10 students and April 2 for Class 12 students. The board has also issued a notification inviting observations on the question papers for the 2024 exams and requested schools to streamline the observation process. The notification specifies that observations should be uploaded to the Online Exam Centre Management System (OECMS) on the same day as the exam. CBSE has stated that it will not take any action if observations are not received on time, do not follow the board’s instructions, or are vague and unclear.