In a significant shift in school education, the Centre has scrapped the 'no-detention policy' for students in classes 5 and 8 in schools governed by the central government. This move will allow schools to retain students who fail to clear their year-end exams.
As per a recent gazette notification, if a student does not meet the promotion criteria after regular exams, they will be given an additional opportunity for re-examination within two months of the result declaration. If they fail again, the student will be held back in the same class. The class teacher will provide guidance to the student and their parents, offering specialised help to address learning gaps.
While this change applies to over 3,000 schools managed by the central government, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools, states have the autonomy to adopt or reject the policy. "Since school education is a state subject, states are free to make their own decisions. Already, 16 states and two Union Territories have opted out of the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8," news agency PTI quoted a senior Ministry of Education official as saying.
"We have decided that after trying all possible means, if there is a need to detain students in classes 5 and 8, so be it. However, there is a provision that students will not be expelled until class 8. According to the National Education Policy, we don't assess students' learning outcomes properly. To implement this, children who are not excelling in their studies will be given special attention," said Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education & Literacy.
Notably, Haryana and Puducherry have yet to make a decision, while other states and Union Territories have opted to retain the policy. Despite the policy change, the government has assured that no child will be expelled from school before completing their elementary education.
This move marks a shift in the educational landscape.
What is the 'No-Detention' Policy?
The 'No-Detention' policy, a key feature in the Right to Education Act 2009, prevented the detention or failure of students up to Class 8. Under this policy, all students automatically progress to the next class without facing traditional examinations.
Non-Detention Policy in the RTE Act 2009
The Non-Detention Policy marked a shift in how student performance is assessed. Instead of relying on traditional exams, the Act mandates the use of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) as the primary assessment method.
The 'no detention' provision was introduced because exams often serve to eliminate students who score poorly. Once labelled as 'failures,' these students either repeat the same grade or drop out of school. Repeating a grade can be demotivating and discouraging for students, and it does not provide them with additional resources to tackle the same curriculum again.