The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is introducing Open Book Examinations (OBE) for students in Classes 9 to 12, as per the recommendations of the recently released National Curriculum Framework. The Board is suggesting a pilot run of open-book tests in selective schools in English, Mathematics, and Science for Classes 9 and 10, as well as English, Mathematics, and Biology for Classes 11 and 12 later this year. The primary goal is to assess the time taken by students to complete such tests and gather feedback from stakeholders.
In an open-book exam, students are permitted to bring their notes, textbooks, or other study materials to reference during the examination. It’s essential to note that open-book exams are not necessarily simpler than closed-book exams; in fact, they often pose more challenges. This is because an open-book test evaluates not only a student’s memory but also their understanding of the subject and their ability to analyze or apply concepts. It goes beyond simply transcribing content from a textbook onto the answer script.
The proposed pilot is scheduled for November-December this year. Based on the insights gained from this trial, the Board will make a decision on whether to adopt this form of assessment across all its schools for Classes 9 to 12. The focus of the pilot will be on evaluating higher-order thinking skills, application, analysis, critical and creative thinking, as well as problem-solving abilities. The Board aims to conclude the design and development of the Open Book Examination (OBE) pilot by June and has opted to seek guidance from Delhi University (DU) in this endeavor. Despite facing opposition, DU implemented open book tests in August 2020 amid the disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic to the academic calendar.
During the discussions on the proposal to implement Open Book Examinations (OBE) in CBSE schools, the Board’s curriculum committee put out the necessity, in late last year, 2023, to create top-notch textbooks. Their objective is to guarantee that students comprehend and embrace this innovative assessment approach. Within the curriculum committee meeting, certain members suggested an additional idea: having teachers undergo the Open Book Exams (OBE) initially to grasp the concept. This would aid them in crafting OBE materials of comparable quality to those found in the Advanced Placement examination, a college entrance exam in the United States, thereby establishing it as a benchmark standard.
(Picture Credit- Jagran)
