CBSE To Implement Open-Book Exams For Class 9 From 2026-27 Session

CBSE has introduced the open-book assessments for the students of class 9th from the next academic session. Scroll down to read more.

CBSE

NEP 2020 in Action: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced the open-book assessments for the students of class 9th from the next academic session i.e. 2026-27. According to the reports by Indian Express, this decision has been approved by the CBSE after conducting the pilot study. This decision was taken after the meeting held in June. 

What is the New Policy?

According to the media reports, this proposal is under the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSC) 2023 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in which exams of class 9th will take place in open-book format for the subjects like languages, mathematics, science and social science.

What are Open Book Exams? 

Open books are not like traditional exams. In an open-book exam, students are allowed to refer to and open their textbooks and other study materials while answering the questions. Instead of testing memorisation and how much a student remembers, these exams focus on understanding, analysis, and application of concepts. The goal of this initiative is to promote higher-order thinking and move away from traditional learning.

When Was This Discussed

Earlier, in November 2023, CBSE’s curriculum committee discussed the idea and later approved a pilot run. The trial was conducted in selected schools for English, Mathematics, and Science for Classes 9 and 10, and English, Mathematics, and Biology for Classes 11 and 12. The aim was to study how much time students take for such tests and to gather feedback from teachers and students.

And according to the reports of Hindustan Times, the officials told them that ““The plan to carry out an OBE pilot in some schools was discussed as a part of the NCF recommendations. It could be used in internal exams to promote innovative thinking among students. However, it is only in an ideation phase, and there is no plan to adopt the OBE format in the CBSE class 10 and 12 board examination,”.

And according to the reports of Indian Express, even though the pilot study showed the low success rates, the teachers were very optimistic about this change and supported this new approach. 

CBSE will release the sample papers and framework for open book internal exams but there are chances that it won’t be mandatory for the schools to participate in this, said the Indian Express.