Hyderabad: Answering an exam with an open textbook in hand would be any student’s dream come true. But as it turns out, this is not the case.
The ‘open textbook exams’ introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education from the current academic year (2013-14) for Class IX and Class XI, is making students and teachers anxious as both are uncertain about how this format would work.
Under the Open Text Based Assessment (OTBA), the CBSE has sent study material to all its schools to be distributed to students. Students have been told to go through the topics carefully and prepare themselves to answer the questions by referring to the study material.
There will be no straight and direct answers to these questions; students have to use their analytical, reasoning and theoretical skills.
For example, the study material sent by the Board discusses subjects such as the havoc caused by the Uttarakhand flood, unequal sex ratio, child labour and other contemporary issues.
Students have to analyse these issues, form their opinions and answer the questions. “The new exam initiative is basically about discouraging students from rote learning and encouraging them to learn by thinking.
It is aimed at testing the analytical reasoning and theoretical skills of students. Since this is the first time, there is some confusion among students and teachers.
However, we are training the teachers and students. We hope all the doubts about the new test pattern will be resolved soon,” said D. Usha Reddy, chairperson, Hyderabad Sahodaya Schools Complex, an association of CBSE schools.
She said that students need not worry about the impact on their final performance as only 10 marks are allotted in each paper for the purpose.
The open textbook exam was tried in Gujarat in 2008. The state government was forced to put it on hold immediately following opposition from students and parents.
