Modified open book exam for CBSE board exams
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is planning to introduce a Pre Announced Test (PAT) for 2014 board exams for all subjects in class X and selected subjects in class XII, reported the Times of India. The PAT could be the biggest change in Indian education system as it will follow the 'open book exam' concept. The objective of the new format is to bring about a change in the classroom learning process and enhance the analytical skills of the students.
Nonetheless, students will not be allowed to bring books inside the exam hall. However, they will be taught the concepts four months prior to the examination. The exam will comprise questions that combine both PAT and the existing pattern that will test the analytical and applicatory skills. (Read more)
According to Vineet Joshi, CBSE, the new system will test higher order thinking skills of students rather than their current reliance on a rote-based methodology. He told TOI that even though students will be made aware of the test beforehand, the questions will not be simple and straightforward. (Read more)
PAT will be similar to the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) system that some education boards like Maharashtra adopts. However, the implementation of the open book exam has proven futile in the past. According to a TOI report, the Gujarat government experimented with the concept in 2008 for its board exams but it proved to be tough and few students passed.
According to Joshi, the Indian education system still has a heterogeneous group of students which makes it difficult to implement a system such as the open book concept or even a modified version (PAT). “However, if the board makes some variations, like say, from 100 marks, questions of total 20 to 30 marks will be of open-book type, the high percentage achievers might be able to attempt it. Students who are prepared for the exams are going to perform well and those who are not will suffer either way,” he told TOI.
There have been diverse responses on the introduction of the PAT. TOI spoke to Ragini Arora, principal, Ramjas School who feels that PAT will be challenging and will demand one’s reasoning skills and precision. A student of DPS Mathura feels that it would have been better if the exam were actually an open-book exam. Students feel that it will not be feasible and will add more pressure on them. (Read more)
Moreover, it is still not clear how the board will implement PAT for Mathematics which comprises mostly of formulae and values. It can only be expected that CBSE will come out with a solution for this issue by the time they made an official announcement in December. (Read full story)
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