While some see the move as a way to boost critical thinking, others fear it could leave students unprepared for board examinations; uncertain about the decision, some educationists believe the policy can be properly analysed only after seeing it in practice
Principals stress the need for teacher training to ensure the format fosters understanding rather than rote copying. REPRESENTATION PIC/ISTOCK
Experts say that the recent move by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), under which Std IX students will now appear for Open Text-Based Assessments (OTBAs), may turn out to be a double-edged sword. While school officials and educationists still await a detailed outline, they believe that book-assisted tests for students who are already on the cusp of appearing for board examinations may not necessarily benefit them.
“Without a doubt, the move has its advantages. However, it’s important to note that students have no such leeway when it comes to their Std X board examinations,” said Rupal Desai, head of Jogeshwari’s MPS Pratikshanagar CBSE School. “There’s a chance that open-book tests may make students too relaxed, and they might not study to the best of their abilities. These tests also tend to take up more time, and students may struggle to manage time effectively during their board exams. Sometimes, such tests don’t allow us to assess how well students have actually understood their syllabus,” she added.
Uncertain about the decision, some educationists believe the policy can be properly analysed only after seeing it in practice. “The OTBA is a unique type of testing, and it works only when the teachers setting the paper are well-trained. It’s crucial to ensure that students think logically and understand the questions. Simply replicating textbook content won’t do,” said Mahendra Ganpule, educationist and former vice-president of the State Headmasters’ Association.
Ganpule also believes that answering open-book tests may not really help students prepare for their Std X boards. “Board examinations already have sample question papers and model answers. While OTBA helps students understand the coursework, they usually rely on readymade model answers when taking the board exams,” he said.
Mumbai’s private CBSE schools, such as RN Podar, have already been conducting open-book internal tests for Std VI, VII, and VIII. Having experience with this format, the school finds it easier to extend it to Std IX students. “At first, the children are always thrilled to hear about open-book tests. But soon, they realise that they need to infer and understand the questions rather than simply copy from the books. That’s when they begin to prepare seriously. These tests also help students develop a deeper understanding and critical thinking,” said Suman Samarth, headmistress of RN Podar Secondary School.
Principals are hopeful that board exams will eventually move away from rote learning. “There’s no doubt that students need to focus on scoring well in Std IX and X. So we’ll try to implement the decision in a measured way once we have all the details. These tests will help students learn through familiarisation rather than memorisation, encouraging higher-order thinking. Once our teachers are fully equipped with the format, we’ll be happy to introduce these tests,” said Jyothi Malhotra, principal of The Somaiya School, Mumbai.
“These tests have always been a part of our Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE). Often, our students appear for alternating open-book tests, evaluate themselves, discuss answers with their peers, and develop these skills on their own. It’s time we help them understand that one exam isn’t everything and that learning should be a year-long process,” said an official overseeing the CBSE programme across several Mumbai public schools.
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