New Delhi, December 23, 2024: The Central Government has officially discontinued the ‘no-detention policy’ for students in classes 5 and 8 under its jurisdiction, allowing schools to hold back students who fail to clear year-end examinations.
This decision aligns with amendments made to the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2019, which permitted states to scrap the policy. So far, 16 states and two Union Territories have already implemented this change.
As per a recent gazette notification, students who fail to meet the promotion criteria after regular examinations will be provided additional instructions and an opportunity for re-examination within two months. If they fail again, they will be retained in the same class.
The notification also mandates class teachers to guide students and their parents, addressing learning gaps through specialized inputs during the retention period. However, the government clarified that no student would be expelled from school before completing elementary education.
The policy change will impact over 3,000 central government schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools. While education remains a state subject, the notification allows states to decide independently.
Out of all states and Union Territories, 16 states and 2 UTs, including Delhi, have scrapped the no-detention policy for these classes. Haryana and Puducherry are yet to make a decision, while others continue with the policy.
