The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will introduce open-book exams for Class 9 students starting in the 2026-27 school year. The move is focused at reducing rote learning and helping students focus more on understanding and applying concepts.
According to The Indian Express, the decision was approved in June by CBSE’s Governing Body, the board’s highest decision-making authority. Open-book tests will be held in three written assessments each term for subjects like languages, mathematics, science, and social science.
What Are Open-Book Exams?
As explained in the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, open-book exams allow students to refer to textbooks, notes, or library materials while answering questions. Instead of testing memory, these exams check whether students can understand, interpret, and apply what they’ve learned in real-life situations.
This change is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which focuses on skill-based learning rather than memorisation.
What the Pilot Study Found
CBSE tested the idea in a pilot study approved in December 2023 for Classes 9 to 12. The study looked at how much time students took, their scores, and feedback from teachers and students.
Student scores ranged from 12% to 47%, showing that many struggled to use reference materials effectively or link ideas from different topics. Even so, teachers felt the system could improve critical thinking if students were taught how to use the resources well. The pilot used only syllabus-based topics and didn’t require extra reading.
Next Steps
The board will now create standard sample papers and a framework for schools that want to start open-book tests in Class 9 internal exams. While it won’t be compulsory, CBSE will encourage schools with the right resources to adopt the system.
The aim is to lower exam stress and focus on understanding, problem-solving, and analysis instead of memorisation.
CBSE tried something similar in 2014 with the Open Text Based Assessment (OTBA) for certain Class 9 and Class 11 subjects. Students got the material four months in advance, but the system was dropped in 2017-18 as it didn’t significantly improve critical thinking skills.
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