The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has stated that from 2026 onwards, Class 9 students will have open-book examinations. This is a fundamental change, which is especially interesting and very relevant given the perennial concern about assessment and student passivity. These exams, a step forward to NEP 2020 education changes, will be open book and require students to analyze, evaluate, and advocate. CBSE Open-Book Exams for Class 9, although counterintuitive to many, attempt to lower the rate of learning while arguing that understanding helps achieve the objective of application.
Another positive policy shift is the management of assessing understanding and information recall separately. This is positive in the sense that understanding is often misinterpreted as blindly repeated memorized information; however, with the OBE, understanding is defined as students not being able to even recall the information from memory, let alone perform at a high level. To sum up, it is clear that OBE, despite some drawbacks, caused a significant change in the instruction of the curriculum in schools.
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1. Why the Change? The NEP Connection
The NEP 2020 anticipates a shift from the teacher to the learner, where students will focus more on developing critical skills like analysis, creativity, problem-solving, and investigation. In this view, the new NCFSE 2023 suggests schools incorporate inventive assessment techniques, including CBSE Open-Book Exams for Class 9.
The idea behind CBSE Open-Book Exams for Class 9 is to gauge how successfully pupils can apply what they have learned to a given set of novel circumstances. Permitting licensed textbooks and the like during the examination alters the ethos in that the emphasis is more on understanding concepts and nuances rather than on rote learning and answering questions during the examination.
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2. Decision Timeline and Implementation Plan
In mid-2025, after conducting pilot studies, the educators provided the CBSE governing body with some suggestive feedback for their consideration, which eventually led to a wholesome approval. CBSE policy updates 2026–27: The following is the timeline for the implementation of CBSE Open-Book Exams for Class 9:
- Target group: Class 9 students during the 2026-27 academic session
- Parts checked: Math, Science, Languages, and Social Science.
- Assessment structure: The formative assessment form will have examination OBEs, which will be conducted in one of the term-end assessments for every subject.
- Type: Pen-paper examinations with a variety of questions that demand both analytical and application-based responses.
This CBSE education reform’s phased approach gives schools enough time to prepare teachers and students for the change.
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3. The Pilot Study: Learning from Experience
Before breaking the news, the board conducted a trial in the following schools in Plus Two for the year 2023-24. The pilot was conducted between Class 9 and Class 12 in specific subjects as student-centric assessment methods.
Crucial findings from the pilot for CBSE Open-Book Exams for Class 9 were as follows:
- Inadequate performance: The lowest-performing students had scores of only 12%, while the highest scores were 47%. While some of them were able to manage the task without any hindrance, others were unable to locate the relevant information and act accordingly within the set timeframe.
- Teacher feedback: Most teachers felt the formative assessment to be an encouraging process promoting higher-order thinking, but they emphasized the requirement for a structured programme for the preparation of the questions to be effective.
- Resource Utilization: Most students tended to seek resources in the form of flipping through the materials during the prescribed activities, which requires a better form of pre-investigation.
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4. Learning from Past Initiatives
CBSE has tried a similar format before. In 2014, it launched the Open Text-Based Assessment (OTBA) for Class 9 and Class 11. In the CBSE curriculum transformation, Students were given case studies or passages in advance and were allowed to refer to them during exams. However, OTBA was discontinued in 2017–18, as it failed to significantly change learning patterns.
The key difference this time is better planning:
- Question papers will be more analytical and less direct.
- Schools will receive model papers and a framework to guide the process.
- Teacher training will be emphasized from the start.
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5. Benefits of Open-Book Exams
The introduction of the open-book format in schools is expected to bring several academic and psychological benefits:
- Reduced exam stress: Students no longer have to memorize entire textbooks, which will encourage flexible learning evaluation.
- Improved conceptual clarity: Focus is on understanding, not cramming.
- Real-world skills: Students learn how to find, filter, and apply information.
- Better engagement: Classroom discussions and assignments can be designed around deeper thinking rather than rote recall.
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6. Anticipated Challenges
While the benefits are promising, some challenges need to be addressed:
- Time management: Students must learn to locate information quickly during the exam.
- Teacher preparation: Teachers will need training to create high-quality, thought-provoking questions.
- Resource gaps: Schools with limited access to updated textbooks and reference material may face difficulties.
- Mindset shift: Both students and parents may initially misunderstand the concept, assuming OBEs are “easier” than traditional exams.
7. CBSE’s Support Plan for Schools
To make the CBSE curriculum transformation smoother, CBSE has committed to providing:
- Sample question papers specifically designed for the open-book format.
- Implementation framework for schools, outlining the rules, resources, and marking schemes.
- Workshops for teachers to help them design assessments that test higher-order thinking skills.
- Clear guidelines on what materials students can bring into the exam hall.
Importantly, adoption of the format will be optional for schools initially, giving them flexibility in implementation.
8. How the CBSE new exam pattern 2026 Will Change Classroom Learning
The shift to OBEs will naturally influence teaching methods and learning habits:
- Teaching approach: Lessons will need to focus more on understanding concepts, drawing connections between topics, and applying knowledge to unfamiliar problems.
- Student preparation: Students will have to read and understand the material before the exam instead of relying on finding it during the test.
- Assessment design: Questions will likely involve case studies, real-life problems, and cross-disciplinary scenarios.
9. Global Perspective
Open-book format in schools is already common in many international education systems, especially in higher education. Countries such as the UK, Australia, and Singapore use them to test applied knowledge in professional courses and flexible learning evaluation. By introducing them at the school level, CBSE is preparing Indian students for both global competitiveness and the demands of higher studies.
10. Way Forward
The success of this initiative will depend on:
- Effective teacher training to frame quality questions.
- Student orientation programs to explain the purpose of OBEs.
- Parental awareness to ensure home support for the new learning style.
- Continuous review and feedback from schools after the first few cycles.
If the CBSE education reforms in India are implemented well, OBEs could set the foundation for a more skill-oriented and less stressful examination culture in India.
Conclusion
CBSE’s effort to implement open-book exams in Class 9 beginning in the school year 2026–27 is not limited to merely bringing about a modification in the exam structure; it rather serves as the first step in altering the Indian education structure by the vision of NEP 2020. This initiative seeks to shift the focus from memorization to application, analysis, and understanding, and it equips students with essential skills, not just aimed at clearing competitive exams but also useful in real-life situations after school.
Although hurdles are likely, positive and organized efforts combined with teacher training and student awareness would guarantee that this is a turning point in the history of the CBSE assessment procedure.
FAQs – CBSE Open-Book Exams for Class 9 from 2026–27
1. What do open-book exams mean?
In open-book exams, students can use textbooks, class notes, or other permitted resources during the test. The aim is to check how well they understand and apply concepts rather than memorize them.
2. When will CBSE start open-book exams for Class 9?
The new system will begin with the 2026–27 school year.
3. Which subjects will be included in this format?
The open-book approach will be introduced in Languages, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science.
4. Will every Class 9 exam follow the open-book format?
No. Only one term-end exam in each subject will follow this pattern; other assessments will continue as usual.
5. Why has CBSE decided to make this change?
The change aims to encourage deeper understanding, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills while moving away from rote memorisation, as recommended by the NEP 2020.
6. Has CBSE used a similar method before?
Yes. In 2014, CBSE introduced the Open Text-Based Assessment (OTBA), but it was later discontinued. The upcoming model has been redesigned with better planning and training support for teachers.
7. How will performance be judged in open-book exams?
Students will be marked on their ability to interpret questions, analyse concepts, and apply their knowledge, not simply on their ability to copy from reference material.
8. Will open-book exams make scoring easier?
Not automatically. Students will still need to study thoroughly and understand their subjects to answer questions within the set time.
9. Will CBSE release practice papers for this format?
Yes. CBSE will provide model question papers and instructions to help schools and students get used to the system.
10. Will all schools have to adopt open-book exams right away?
No. In the initial phase, using this format will be optional so that schools can introduce it at a pace that suits them.
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