Capacity, Courage and Change: Roadmap for Indian Higher Education

In recent years, Indian education has been grappling with the urgent need to move away from rote learning and embrace learning systems that promote comprehension, analysis, evaluation and creativity. A significant step in this direction has been taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which has announced the introduction of open-book examinations (OBE) for Class IX students from the academic year 2026–27. This initiative has profound implications.

First, the students enrolled in Class IX in 2026 will enter Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) by 2031, carrying with them new expectations and aspirations for assessment models that extend beyond the traditional closed-book examination system that, apart from emphasising rote learning causes avoidable stress on students. Second, this shift necessitates a major reorientation of pedagogy in higher education. Faculty members will need to be prepared well in advance to adopt and implement the open-book system in a meaningful way. Without capacity building of teachers, the reform risks degenerating into a superficial exercise where students merely learn how to locate answers instead of thinking critically.

Therefore, the question is not whether Indian higher education should adapt to the open-book system, but how. The answer lies in adopting innovative and radical pedagogical reforms that transform teaching, learning, and assessment practices across the system. There are also likely to be demands that open-book system of examination be introduced in HEIs at the earliest.

Historical Background: Lessons from the Past

India’s tryst with educational reform is not new. As early as 1944, the Sargent Committee, appointed by the colonial government, submitted a comprehensive report on improving the quality of higher education in Indian universities. The Committee was realistic in its assessment. It concluded that even if its recommendations were implemented earnestly, it would take about 40 years to see meaningful results.

The reasons it gave are instructive. First, faculty members themselves needed upgradation of their knowledge and pedagogical skills. Second, the junior faculty members would have to  rely on their seniors to learn the nuances of effective teaching-learning. But the latter were not well equipped to take on the onerous task to usher in the desired qualitative changes. Third, there had to be a cultural and intellectual shift among students, away from memorisation for degrees and toward genuine knowledge acquisition. Such a transformation could not occur overnight; it would require at least one generation, if not more, of students and teachers, and even civil society, to internalise new values.

Unfortunately, the recommendations were largely ignored, and Indian higher education continued on a trajectory dominated by rote learning. Today, as the CBSE reform signals a paradigm shift, it is imperative to revisit the wisdom of the Sargent Committee. If we do not begin the process of pedagogical renewal now, by 2031 Indian HEIs may again find themselves unprepared for the aspirations of students nurtured in a reformed school system.

The Open-Book Examination System: A New Challenge

The open-book examination system, contrary to popular assumption, is not about making examinations easier. In fact, it demands much more from both students and teachers. Traditional closed-book examinations emphasise memorisation and, to some extent, comprehension. But they often neglect the higher-order cognitive skills like application, analysis, evaluation, and critical thinking, that 21st-century education must prioritise.

The current system excels in the production of “sophisticated parrots” – students adept at reproducing memorised information but are often unable to interpret, evaluate, or apply their knowledge to real-world contexts. The open-book system is designed precisely to break this cycle. It compels students to:

• Develop interpretative and analytical skills.
• Broaden their learning beyond textbooks and prescribed syllabi.
• Cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Reflect and articulate their own understanding of concepts rather than rely on borrowed formulations.

In short, the system requires students not just to know what but to understand why and how.

Capacity Building of Faculty

For the open-book system to succeed in higher education, the foremost requirement is the transformation of faculty. Teachers cannot remain passive transmitters of information; they must become facilitators of inquiry and co-travellers in the learning process.

1. Continuous Learning and Self-Discovery: Faculty must embrace lifelong learning themselves. This will help them keep pace with rapidly changing disciplinary knowledge and the evolving learning styles of Generations Z, Alpha, each of whom engages with knowledge in unique ways.
2. Pedagogical Innovation: Teachers must move from content-heavy, lecture-based methods to student-centric practices. These include problem-based learning, case studies, flipped classrooms, and collaborative projects that nurture creativity and critical engagement.
3. Assessment Reform: Instead of framing questions that test recall, teachers must design assessments that demand application, reasoning, and originality. For example, asking students to evaluate policy alternatives, interpret data, or construct arguments.
4. Reducing Examination Stress: A learning-centric approach would enable students to experience the joy of discovery rather than suffer the anxiety of high-stakes examinations. Open-book examinations can ease pressure if they are structured around meaningful application rather than obscure factual recall.

Without such faculty development, the OBE reform risks collapsing into a hollow practice where students only learn to find and copy passages from books or the internet.

The New Paradigm of Learning

The ultimate goal of open-book examinations is not simply to change the format of assessment, but to cultivate a new paradigm of learning in Indian higher education.

• Thinking and Reflection: Students must be trained to think independently, reflect on diverse perspectives, and articulate their own conclusions.
• Problem-Solving Orientation: Examinations should present real-life or simulated problems that require workable solutions. Students should be asked not only to arrive at solutions but also to evaluate alternatives and justify their choices.
• Use of Resources: The new paradigm encourages students to use libraries, digital archives, and online scholarly databases effectively, turning them into resourceful learners who can navigate the vast sea of information critically.
• Teacher as Mentor: Committed and motivated teachers are central to this paradigm. Their role extends beyond instruction. They must inspire students to explore the frontiers of knowledge and accompany them on the path of discovery.

Systemic Changes Required

Reforming pedagogy and assessments alone will not suffice unless the systemic environment in which HEIs operate also undergoes transformation.

1. Private Sector Challenges: The private higher education sector, dominated by profit motives, often reduces education to a commodity. Open-book examinations, which require intellectual investment and creativity, may be side-lined unless profitability is balanced with academic integrity. Moreover, instead of looking down on profit-making profiteering should be rooted out.
2. Public Sector Limitations: Many public universities are mired in politicisation, with vice-chancellors appointed more for political loyalty than academic vision. State governors, who often serve as chancellors, may lack the scholarly credentials to guide reform. Without academic leadership of high quality, transformative changes like OBE may remain superficial.
3. Regulatory Framework: Agencies such as the UGC, AICTE, and National Testing Agency must design pragmatic policies that incentivise innovative teaching and authentic assessment. Given India’s demographic pressures and global aspirations, the luxury of slow-paced reforms is unaffordable. Swift and decisive action is essential.
4. Selection of Teachers: The National Testing Agency conducts the National Eligibility Test (NET) on behalf of the UGC to build a pool of candidates for appointment as assistant professors in HEIs. However, the NET remains narrowly focused on assessing subject knowledge, while neglecting pedagogical skills that are central to effective teaching. Policymakers must recognise that knowledge alone does not make a good teacher. Qualities such as strong communication skills, a spirit of continuous learning, sensitivity to student needs, and empathy are equally vital. To ensure that the test fulfils its true purpose, the NET requires a comprehensive overhaul that balances evaluation of both knowledge and teaching aptitude.
5. Training of Teachers: What the Sargent Committee flagged in 1944 still stares us in the face today. Faculty capacity building cannot be left to chance – it demands a formal, structured programme. The task may be daunting, but true leadership lies in catching the bull by the horns and driving the change with resolve.
6. Political Will: Educational reform in India has historically been stymied by lack of political will. For OBE to become meaningful, policymakers must prioritise education not as a political tool but as the foundation of national development.

Conclusion

The introduction of open-book examinations in Indian schools from 2026 marks a watershed moment in the country’s educational journey. But unless higher education is prepared to embrace similar reforms by the time these students enter universities in 2031, a dangerous disconnect will emerge between school and university learning cultures.

The Sargent Committee’s warning from 1944 still resonates: genuine educational transformation takes decades and requires simultaneous shifts in faculty capacity, student mindset, and societal attitudes. India cannot afford to repeat the mistake of ignoring reform.

Open-book examinations offer an opportunity to break free from rote learning and cultivate a culture of inquiry, reflection, and innovation. But for this opportunity to bear fruit, radical and innovative pedagogical changes must be introduced in higher education – changes that empower faculty, inspire students, and restructure systemic governance.

If India seizes this moment with courage and vision, it can create a higher education system that not only meets the aspirations of its youth but also equips the nation to emerge as a true vishwaguru in the 21st century.