Experts say that the recent move by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), under which Std IX students will now appear for Open Text-Based Assessments (OTBAs), may turn out to be a double-edged sword. While school officials and educationists still await a detailed outline, they believe that book-assisted tests for students who are already on the cusp of appearing for board examinations may not necessarily benefit them.

“Without a doubt, the move has its advantages. However, it’s important to note that students have no such leeway when it comes to their Std X board examinations,” said Rupal Desai, head of Jogeshwari’s MPS Pratikshanagar CBSE School. “There’s a chance that open-book tests may make students too relaxed, and they might not study to the best of their abilities. These tests also tend to take up more time, and students may struggle to manage time effectively during their board exams. Sometimes, such tests don’t allow us to assess how well students have actually understood their syllabus,” she added.

Uncertain about the decision, some educationists believe the policy can be properly analysed only after seeing it in practice. “The OTBA is a unique type of testing, and it works only when the teachers setting the paper are well-trained. It’s crucial to ensure that students think logically and understand the questions. Simply replicating textbook content won’t do,” said Mahendra Ganpule, educationist and former vice-president of the State Headmasters’ Association.