We all might have come across some instances where students who topped their classes often struggled to land the right jobs, while those with “average” marks went on to thrive. Why? Because rote learning only feeds memory, not understanding.
Now, with CBSE’s new open-book exam plan for Class 9, a decisive shift is underway. With plans to roll them out from the 2026–27 academic year, this reform moves beyond memorisation, placing the focus on critical thinking, real-world application, and problem-solving. This is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023.
What are Open-Book Exams?
Open-Book Exams are assessments that permit students to use approved resources such as textbooks, class notes, and teacher-sanctioned materials during the examination. The purpose of these exams is to evaluate students’ capacity to interpret, analyze, and apply information rather than simply testing their memorization abilities. Unlike conventional tests, Open-Book Exams focus more on synthesizing concepts and problem-solving rather than repeating memorized facts.
What Benefits do OBAs Offer for Students?
- Promoting critical thinking & application: Students are encouraged to analyze problems critically instead of simply memorizing definitions.
- Reducing exam stress: With access to necessary materials, children may experience less pressure during assessments.
- Aligning with educational reform: The shift follows NEP 2020’s push for competency-based learning and NCFSE’s emphasis on conceptual depth.
- Real-world readiness: Students will acquire the ability to locate, analyze, and utilize information that is essential for real-world scenarios outside of academic settings.
Challenges Ahead
While promising, the rollout comes with hurdles:
- Question design complexity: Crafting questions that evaluate analysis instead of simple retrieval can be a time-consuming task that demands skill and expertise
- Dependence on books: Some students might rely too heavily on finding answers easily in books rather than truly understanding the material
- Resource disparity: Students attending schools with better equipment may hold an edge, unless materials are standardized
- Pedagogical shift needed: Teachers will have to move away from traditional lecturing and adopt constructive, discussion-driven teaching
What Students Learnt from Open Books Assessments?
Students’ first experience with OPAs was a mix of excitement, relief, and curiosity. The notion of an “open-book” exam seemed to offer a promise of easiness, but the reality was quite different.
As one student honestly expressed after a practice test, “The book served as a support system, not a guaranteed success.”
Common Struggles Students Faced
While the idea of carrying textbooks into an exam hall sounds liberating, OBAs came with their own set of challenges:
- Time Management: Students lost precious minutes flipping through pages instead of writing.
- Structuring Answers: Even with the right references, many found it difficult to organize their thoughts into coherent, well-argued answers.
- False Confidence: Some relied too heavily on books, expecting ready-made answers, instead of relying on conceptual clarity.
Not everyone struggled.. A Few Thrived
A few students discovered strategies that worked wonders:
- Employing color-coded tabs for key sections
- Creating summaries and margin notes for easy retrieval
- Formulating navigation techniques for quicker information retrieval
- Also, teachers found that weaker students experienced reduced stress levels and increased confidence when given the option to utilize reference materials
Status of Open-Book Exams in India
Open-book exams are not new in India. The CBSE board introduced the Open Text-Based Assessment (OTBA) In 2014, with an aim to shift students away from rote learning and towards a deeper comprehension of subjects. It was tried in Class 9 for Hindi, English, Mathematics, Science and Social Science, and in the final exam of Class 11 for Economics, Biology and Geography. However, by 2017-18, OTBA was discontinued, as it failed to generate the critical thinking and application-oriented skills it set out to cultivate.
While the school-level experiment faced challenges, open-book assessments gained traction in higher education. In 2019, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) sanctioned the use of open-book exams in engineering colleges based on recommendations from an expert panel. The format gained even more popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as universities looked for adaptable assessment methods. Prestigious institutions such as Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, implemented online open-book exams.
Conclusion and What’s Next?
The CBSE’s shift towards open-book exams represents a forward-thinking change in the Indian education system. The goal of these reforms is to shift away from memorization-based learning, enhance comprehension of concepts, implement assessments that accommodate various learning styles, and diminish anxiety to enhance learning outcomes. The success of this endeavor relies on the execution of a thorough restructuring focused on cultivating practical skills in students, preparing them to confront real-life challenges rather than just standardized tests.
References:
