Ahmedabad, Sep. 18 : Gujarat Higher Secondary Education Board has decided to introduce ''open book examinations'' system for standard VIII to X students, enabling them to refer the books while taking exams.

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), which is half way into this academic session (2008 to 09), has decided to introduce the Open Book format of examination for the VIII, IX and X standard classes.

"This concept is going to help all of us a lot sometimes because of the burden of examination we tend to forget some topics. We won''t be having this problem and some people who are extremely sensitive even commit suicide after getting bad marks. All these issues can be resolved easily if this concept of open book examinations is accepted,” said Rajdeep Pandey, a student.

In March 2009, the standard X students would be able to carry along their textbooks to the examination centres.

Chief Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking on the recent Teacher’s Day function before schoolchildren had mentioned about introducing this system.

Parent are happy over such a decision, as they believe it would make study a little less formidable as it presently seems to a lot of students.

"I am having three children. They are in standard eight, nine and ten respectively. Being from middle class we cant afford tuitions for all of them. So I think Modiji has taken a very valid decision of introducing open book exam, as its going to ease our expectations of or children passing the examinations," said Savitaben, a mother.

"I think this system will be having both pros and cons attached to it. But as this policy can put expectations and worries of the parents as well as the students at ease. I think its going to be proved as a valid decision on the part of Government," said Usha Uniyal, a teacher.

The Gujarat Cabinet at a recent meet held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Narendra Modi decided to keep in abeyance for one year the implementation of the ''Open Book'' examination system for secondary students.

"We have decided to introduce the open book examination concept after a meeting with the examination and education committee. This initiative will change the concept of the marks- driven education, which has made students to cram up the subjects rather than understanding it. Exams are meant as the medium of testing a student''s intelligence and not about his faculty of memorising a topic. I think this will help the poor students as well as the intelligent students," said R. K. Pathak, Chairman, GHSEB.

" Students should not face any problem since the course has not been changed and only the pattern of examination is being changed. The examinations are for testing students'' intelligence and not their memory," said Pathak added.

The compilers of these examination papers will also be selected through a test. They will be tested for multiple-choice questions for 150 marks and 150 marks of subjective questions.

Top scorers will be selected as compilers of question papers and moderators.

Depending on this success of the latest scheme, the idea could be extended to standard XI and XII examinations from the academic year of 2010. (ANI)