CBSE considers open-book exams for students of classes 9 to 12

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is contemplating trials of Open-Book Examinations (OBE) in select schools for classes 9 to 12 this year, aligning with the recommendations of the new national curriculum framework.

Officials, acquainted with the developments, revealed that the proposal involves conducting a pilot run of open-book tests in subjects like English, Science, Mathematics, and Biology, following the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE). However, they clarified that there are no current plans to incorporate the OBE format into CBSE class 10 and 12 board examinations.

During the curriculum committee meeting, the board proposed the pilot run of open-book tests as part of the NCF recommendations to promote innovative assessment methods. Under the OBE format, students would be permitted to access textbooks and other pertinent resources to answer test questions. These exams typically feature conceptual and analytical questions, encouraging students to engage with multiple texts, interpret information, and apply concepts.

While the proposed timeline aims to design tests for select schools by June 2024, the pilot testing is scheduled for November-December 2024.