CBSE’s Open-Book Examination Experiment

Source: This post on CBSE’s Open-Book Examination Experiment has been created based on the article “CBSE’s open book exam experiment: How to make exams about critical thought, not surveillance and anxiety” published in “Indian Express” on 24^th February 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2 Social Justice – Issues relating to Education, Human Resources.

News: The article discusses CBSE’s open-book examination experiment.

Background:

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is experimenting with the possibility of “open-book” examinations (OBE).

Why is this being done?

This can tackle the following:

1. Emphasis on rote learning.
2. Issues with MCQ-centric standardised tests.
3. Prevalence of “success manuals” sold by coaching factories.
4. Psychology of fear associated with board examinations.

What should be done to revolutionize the education system?

1) Changes in Pedagogy: This is possible only when children are encouraged to realise and trust their hidden potential, and teachers engage in a meaningful dialogue with young students.

2) Different kinds of questions: They should arouse and activate the critical faculty and creative imagination of young students. Those who design the question papers must work hard, learn and unlearn simultaneously.

3) Encouraging Creativity: Students are hardly encouraged to see beyond textbooks, study the literature outside the syllabus, relate the classroom to the larger world, and think differently and creatively. The spirit of dialogue and critical pedagogy in the classroom should encourage “higher order” or innovative thinking.

What will be the challenges?

Challenge for the teachers: They cannot ask the same questions year after year; they must constantly activate your mind and experiment with ideas.

Challenge for young students: As there is no ready-made answer in textbooks or other “success manuals”, they need to sharpen their analytical thinking, creative imagination and style of writing.

Question for practice:

What should be done to revolutionize the education system in India from the current system focusing on rote-learning?