Overview

• The CBSE Governing Body approved in June the rollout of open-book assessments for Class 9 in the 2026–27 session following a November–December 2023 pilot
• Open-book exams will feature in three in-term pen-and-paper tests each term across languages, mathematics, science and social science
• Schools have begun phased preparation through teacher-training programs, question-design workshops and routine practice sessions using sample open-book papers
• Lessons from CBSE’s 2014–17 OTBA initiative and pandemic-era university open-book exams underscored the importance of assessment literacy and targeted skills development
• Academic studies show open-book formats can lower exam stress and assess analytical abilities but risk superficial preparation and uneven performance without explicit training