Class 9 open-book exams are approved by CBSE for 2026–2027

After a pilot study revealed "teacher support" for open-book examinations, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) accepted a proposal to implement them in Class 9 beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. At a June meeting, the idea was approved by the CBSE's Governing Body, which is the board's top decision-making body.

The plan, which covers fundamental disciplines like language, arithmetic, physics, and social science, calls for incorporating open-book examinations into Class 9 "as part of three pen-paper assessments per term," according to the conference minutes. 
This aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which serves as the foundation for the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023.

Open-book exams are mentioned by NCFSE as a potential assessment method. Students can use resources and references (such as textbooks, class notes, and library books) to help them answer questions on an open-book test. These exams evaluate a person's capacity to process or apply knowledge in a variety of circumstances. According to the NCFSE, these assessments move the emphasis from memory to application and synthesis.

According to the conference minutes, the NCFSE emphasizes the necessity of moving away from rote memorization and toward competency-based learning, with open-book examinations acting as a driving force behind this change.

According to the minutes, the initiative's goals are to "lessen exam stress, encourage real-world application of knowledge, and shift from rote learning to conceptual understanding." Instead of evaluating rote memorization, the NCFSE advocates emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and conceptual comprehension.

The Board has long used open-book exams. To lessen the burden of rote learning and encourage pupils to process knowledge, CBSE introduced an Open Text Based Assessment (OTBA) in 2014. It was attempted in the final exam of Class 11 for Economics, Biology, and Geography, as well as in Class 9 for Hindi, English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science. The reference materials were sent to the students four months in advance. In 2017–18, the Board discontinued it, claiming it had not assisted students in developing "critical abilities."