CBSE has released the details of the open text based exams which will account for 10 marks for class 11 students applicable only for Geography, Economics and Biology this year.
The question papers will be set by the teachers as per the syllabus prescribed by the board, question papers in these subjects will have a section of 10 marks based on the OTBA. The questions for OTBA will be supplied by the CBSE through the Integrated Management System in the months of February/March 2014. With the inclusion of OTBA section of 10 marks the weight age of marks assigned to various units of these subjects will be proportionately reduced. Only classes 9 and 11 will have OTBA as a part of the final exams in March. For class 9 the OTBA material has been released for all main subjects such as English, Hindi, Mathematics, Science and Social Science.
For class XI the OTBA section will comprise of text material accompanied by two or three questions based on that text. The questions based on the text will require students to apply to the situations given in the article/ report/ case study and draw inferences/conclusions from. The questions based on the text will be open ended, extrapolative, inferential and look at personal response justifying a point of view.
The questions will be in addition to the original number of questions as per last year's pattern, hence the central board decided to allow an extra half-hour to students.
Class 9 OTBA Material by CBSE
Class 11 OTBA Material by CBSE
Circular by CBSE on OTBA- Dated December 10, 2013
Image courtesy of nuttakit at FreeDigitalPhotos.net