CBSE announces Open Book Exams for Class 9 starting from the 2026-27 academic year. Know what an open book exam means, how it will work, and how students should prepare for this new pattern.
CBSE Open Book Exams 2026-27
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CBSE Class 9 open book assessment
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CBSE exam reform 2026
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National Education Policy updates
📰 CBSE Announces Open Book Exams for Class 9
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially announced that Open Book Assessments (OBA) will be introduced for Class 9 from the 2026-27 academic session.
This major reform aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP 2020), which emphasizes developing analytical, reasoning, and critical-thinking skills over rote memorization.
📚 What is an Open Book Exam?
An open book exam allows students to refer to their textbooks, notes, and study materials while answering questions.
Instead of testing memory, this pattern aims to assess how well students can understand, interpret, and apply their knowledge in real-life situations.
🧩 Key Highlights
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The initiative will start with Class 9 students in selected CBSE schools and may later expand to higher classes.
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The questions will be application-based, focusing on understanding and reasoning rather than direct recall.
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Teachers will receive special training to design effective open book assessments.
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This move supports the NEP 2020 goal of making Indian education more skill-oriented and concept-driven.
🧑🎓 How It Impacts Students
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Students will have to focus on concept clarity instead of mugging up answers.
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Better analytical and problem-solving skills will be required.
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Note-making and comprehension will become essential parts of study habits.
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Schools will need to provide mock tests and sample OBA papers for practice.