NEW DELHI: The Centre has abolished the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8 in schools under its governance, permitting the failure of students who do not pass the year-end exams, officials said.
Since the amendment to the Right to Education Act (RTE) in 2019, at least 16 states and two Union Territories have abolished the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8.
As per a gazette notification, if a child fails to meet the promotion criteria after the regular examination, they will be provided with additional instruction and an opportunity for re-examination within two months from the declaration of results.
The notification stated, "If the child appearing in the re-examination fails to fulfill the promotion criteria again, they shall be held back in fifth class or eighth class, as the case may be. During the retention period, the class teacher shall guide the child and, if necessary, the child's parents, providing specialized inputs after identifying the learning gaps at various stages of assessment."
However, the government has clarified that no child shall be expelled from any school until the completion of elementary education.
According to senior Ministry of Education officials, the notification will apply to more than 3,000 schools operated by the central government, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools.
A senior official said, "Since school education is a state subject, states can make their decision in this regard. Already 16 states and 2 UTs, including Delhi, have done away with the no-detention policy for these two classes. Haryana and Puducherry have not made any decision yet, while the remaining states and UTs have decided to continue with the policy."
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