Blitz Bureau
THE Centre has scrapped the “no-detention policy” in schools. Following the decision, regular exams will now be conducted at the end of each academic year for students in the 5th and 8th grades.
Students failing these exams will not be promoted to the next class; instead, they will be given an opportunity to reappear for the exam. These students can retake the exam within two months. If they pass the re-exam, they will be promoted to the next grade.
The Ministry of Education clarified that no student will be expelled from school until they complete their primary education. Anil Kumar Singhal, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Education, issued the Gazette notification regarding this change.
According to the Ministry, with these new changes, students who fail will be held back in their current class. Previously, students up to Class 8 could not be held back, and even if they did not perform well. They were promoted to the next class. There was no provision to hold back students in the same class. These rules were part of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.
The Ministry said that during the period when a student is held back, the class teacher will guide the student and, if necessary, the student’s parents. After identifying the various stages of student failure, expert input will be provided. Moreover, the school principal will create a list of students who have been held back due to failure. These students will receive expert input, and their progress will be closely monitored. For the overall development of the student, exams and reexams will be competency-based.
