The Centre on Monday scrapped the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8 in schools under its governance, meaning students in these grades can n🅷ow be held back if they fail to clear their year-end exams. 𓆏This decision marks a crucial change in how student promotions are managed, affecting over 3,000 schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools.
Ho🐬wever, Tamil Nadu's Education Minister declared that the state will continue to follow the 'no-detention policy' up to class 8.
What is the ‘No-Detention Policy’?
The ‘no-detention 🔥policy’ was introduced under the Right to Education Act (RTE) to ensure that ch🥂ildren up to class 8 were not held back due to academic performance. The primary goal of the policy was to reduce drop-out rates and prevent children from being expelled or repeated a grade due to failure, thereby promoting education for all.
Under this policy, students in classes 1 to 8 were promoted au💝tomatically, regardless of their academic performance.
In 2019, 🧜the government amended the RTE Act to give states and Union Territories the option to remove the no-detention policy. The Centre's recent move to scrap the policy formalizes this shift for classes 5 and 8, allowing students who fail their exams to be held back and repeat the grade.
Although the amendment to the Right to Education Act was passed in 2019, the new rules came into effect only recently. Officials pointed out that this delay was due to the announcement of the National Education Policy (NEP), which brought with it broader changes to the education system. The government waited for the recommendations of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), which was finalized in 2023, before i♒mplementing the changes to the RTE Act.
What changes are introduced now?
As per the latest notification, if a student fails to m🍨eet the criteria required to be promoted to the next class after their regular exams, they will be given an additional chance for re-examination within two months. If the student fails again, they will remain 🤡in the same grade.
During this periꦛod, teachers will help the student identify and address learning gaps, providing additional support and guidance. “During the holding back of the child, the class teacher shall guide the child as well as the parents of the child, if necessary, and provide specialized inputs after identifying the learning gaps at various stages of assessment,” the notification said.
The government has also c🌼larified that no child 📖shall be expelled from any school till the completion of elementary education.
What does this mean for states?
The new rule applies specifically to schools under the𒉰 central government’s jurisdiction. This includes schools such as Kendriya Vidyalayas and Sainik Schools. However, since school education is a subject handled by individual states, the decision to implement 🦩or continue the no-detention policy for classes 5 and 8 lies with each state and Union Territory.
As of now, 18 states and Union Territories have already scrapped the no-detention policy for classes 5 and 8, including states like Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal, among others. On the other hand, some states, including Haryana and Puduch❀erry, have not yet made a decision on this matter.
Tamil Nadu dissents centre’s decision
Following the Centre’s decision, Tamil Nadu Education Minister An✤bil Mahesh Poyyamozhi clarified that it will continue to follow the no-detention polౠicy up to class 8.
He emphasized that Tamil Nadu does not follow the National Education Policy (NEP), and thus, the Centre's decision will not affect schools in the state, except those falling under the U🀅nion Government’s jurisdiction.
Poyyamozhi raised concerns about the 𝐆students and said that the centre's move to allow schools to detain students in the same class (class 5 or 8) if they fail to clear exams has created a big stumbling block for chi𓂃ldren from poor families in getting educated without any hassles up to class 8 and this was “regrettable”.
How will the Centre’s move impact students?
While the government's move is aimed at ensuring better academic performance and accountability, it raises concerns about its impact on students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In response to concerns about the policy's effect on children from lower-income families, the Centre clarified that no student will be expelled 💫from school before compꦦleting their elementary education.
“The Head of the school shall maintain a lis🍎t of children who are held back and personally monitor the provisions provided for specialized inputs to such children and their progress with respect to the identified learning gaps,” the notification read.
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The re-examination will be competency-based, focusing on assessing the overall development of the student, rather than just memorization skills. The aim is to en꧂sure that students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to move forward in their education.
