Express View on open-book examinations for Class IX: Not by rote
However, the execution of recent educational reforms strikes a note of caution. CBSE's previous experiment — the Open Text-Based Assessment introduced in 2014 — was shelved in 2017-18, citing a lack of 'critical abilities' among students. Rolling out complex reforms like OBEs without first investing in teacher training and equitable access to resources risks repeating past oversights. Analysis of the result of the OBE pilot study, approved in 2023 for Classes IX to XII, shows 'scores ranging from 12 per cent to 47 per cent, indicating challenges in effectively utilising resources and grasping interdisciplinary concepts'. This points to the necessity of further ground work to prepare students to meet the challenges of OBE, a lack of which in under-resourced schools, especially in rural areas, may exacerbate inequalities. The reform also arrives amid other changes, including the restructuring of curricula, rationalisation of text books and digital evaluation systems. There is a real danger that too many changes implemented too quickly may dilute impact and overwhelm both educators and students. OBEs hold great promise, and if done right, could make the education system more compassionate, holding space for different kinds of students. What comes next must be purposeful, with a clear-eyed understanding of past failures and current realities.
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