The CBSE regional office at Sheikhpura in Patna. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

CBSE will conduct a problem-solving assessment for students of classes IX and X in a bid to make them think out of the box.

Scheduled on February 14 next year, the assessment has no syllabus. It will test the skills of students to solve problems of various kinds.

A CBSE official at New Delhi told The Telegraph : “The board has introduced the problem-solving assessment this academic session. It would test the ability of the students to communicate and solve problems.”

Explaining the details of the assessment, the official added: “There is no syllabus for the assessment. So, students will not have to study anything extra but use their analytical skills.

“The students will have to answer 60 multiple-choice questions for a total of 90 marks.”

Language skills such as grammar and vocabulary, along with quantitative and qualitative reasoning would be tested. The assessment would be the fourth formative assessment for Class IX students.

Class IX students of the CBSE have to take four formative assessments. These count towards 40 per cent of the total marks.

The students would also have the option to take the exam next year with their juniors. If they score better then the higher marks would be counted.

Students are happy about the chance to take such an exam.

Shubhangi, a Class IX student of Patna Central School, said: “This is a very good thing. The new kind of assessment would test our IQ.”