Centre Scraps No-Detention Policy for Classes 5, 8

by The_unmuteenglish

New Delhi, 23 December 2024: The Centre has overturned the ‘no-detention policy’ for classes 5 and 8 in central schools, now allowing failure for students who do not pass the year-end exams, officials confirmed. This change follows an amendment to the Right to Education Act (RTE) in 2019, which already saw 16 states and two Union Territories, including Delhi, adopt similar measures.

According to the official gazette notification, students who fail their year-end exams will receive additional instruction and the opportunity for a re-examination within two months of the result declaration. If the student again fails to meet the promotion criteria, they will be held back in their current grade.

The notification also stipulates that during this period, teachers will identify learning gaps, offering specialized guidance to both the student and their parents to address these gaps.

“During the holding back of the child, the class teacher shall guide the child as well as the parents… and provide specialised inputs after identifying the learning gaps at various stages of assessment,” the notice states.

While the change is applicable to over 3,000 central government schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools, officials clarified that the no-expulsion rule will remain in place. No student will be expelled before completing elementary education.

“School education is a state subject, so states have the freedom to decide on this matter,” said a senior Ministry of Education official.

“As of now, 16 states and 2 Union Territories, including Delhi, have done away with the no-detention policy, while Haryana and Puducherry have not made any decisions. Other states and UTs have opted to maintain the policy.”

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