IIT-ISM Dhanbad implemented 'Open Book Examination System' for the students. Students will now be able open their book, notes for writing answers of the question in the examination hall and it will not be classified as malpractice.

After getting the nod in Cabinet meeting, ISM released a notification about the approval of 'Open Book Examination System'. Students can accompany their class notes, textbooks, and other approved material in examination hall, said an official.

But, it should fully depend on the examiner's will, he may allow accompanying books and notes in the exam or may not, he added.

“In 'Open Book Examination System' electronic gadgets are completely banned; entry along with Laptop, mobile phones, programmable calculators including other electronic gadgets in the examination hall are not allowed,” said the official.This practice is not uncommon in law examinations, but in other subjects, it is mostly unheard of.

 Radical and puzzling though the idea may sound to those who are used to conventional examinations, it is ideally suited to teaching programmes that especially aim at developing the skills of critical and creative thinking, he said.

This system was recently approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) as it decided to adopt the 'less stressful' exam pattern for the Indian engineering education system.'Open book examination is similar to time-constrained written examinations but designed in a way that allows students to refer to either class notes, textbooks, or other approved material while answering questions,' reads the examination reforms policy released by the AICTE on November 20, 2018.

 'The questions in an open book exam must take advantage of the format, and give more weightage to the application of knowledge, critical thinking and use of resources for solving real complex engineering problems,' revealed in the policy. In May 2018, open-book exam was first recommended for engineering students. Later the recommendations was submitted to the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

The AICTE has said that open book examination can emphasize problem-solving, application of knowledge and higher-order of thinking rather than simple recalling of facts. Assessment questions can reflect real life situations that require comprehension, information retrieval and synthesizing skills of students to solve, said the official.

'Open Book Examination' is a good assessment tool to improve innovation and promote outcome-based education, which is a requirement in today's engineering education, said Akash a fourth-year student.