CBSE Clarifies Stance On Open Book Examination

Amid the excitement surrounding the Open Book Examination (OBE) for students in grades 9-12, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has stated its plan to conduct a thorough assessment in its affiliated schools to determine the feasibility of introducing the OBE in the Indian education system.

The decision is in line with the suggestions laid out in the National Curriculum Framework for Secondary Education (NCF-SE). At first, the Board intends to test the OBE method and then assess its suitability in the Indian setting.

Despite what the media has reported, the CBSE has denied the claims of any immediate intention to implement the OBE in certain schools as a trial for specific subjects and grades. Rather, the Board is currently prioritizing a study to determine the viability of this initiative.

In a recent interview with Education Times, Joseph Emmanuel, the Director of Academics at CBSE, explained the Board's position on the OBE, emphasizing, "Some media reports have created confusion; the CBSE has decided to undertake a study to understand the feasibility for bringing assessment reforms like the OBE based on recommendations in the NEP-2020 and NCF-SE 2023. The study would be conducted in select CBSE schools as it is important to first experiment, and then examine the viability of the OBE."

Emmanuel provided additional details, "The CBSE has earlier introduced case-based questions in the board exam paper; students can answer the case-based questions only if they have a conceptual understanding."

The Academic Director at CBSE highlighted the importance of evaluating whether adopting the OBE assessment would truly be advantageous for students.

"A country as vast as India, with learners from diverse backgrounds, requires extensive preparation and support before implementing OBE assessments," Emmanuel said.

"CBSE must determine whether adopting the OBE assessment will truly benefit students. Therefore, conducting a study on OBE is imperative," he added.

The OBE was first implemented by the CBSE in 2013-14 but was later stopped because of the unfavorable response from stakeholders, such as students and parents.

The recent review of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) is in line with the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which highlights the need to explore different assessment methods to improve students' learning experiences.

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