‘No detention’ till Class 8 left to states

The 64th meeting of CABE held on Tuesday recommended implementation of no detention policy in schools (which does not allow failing of students till Class 8) be left to state governments discretion after serious concerns were expressed over deteriorating learning outcomes due to the policy.

Briefing reporters after chairing a day-long meeting, Union human resources development minister Prakash Javadekar stated that the many states expressed concern over learning outcomes because of no detention policy. The minister further added that the Central government has been authorised by the CABE to amend the Right To Education Act in an effort to accord this power to the state government. “The meeting further agreed for suitable amendments to RTE Act to give states freedom to decide on no detention,” Mr Javadekar added.

“Several states said that they want to hold examinations in Class 5 and Class 8. They have assured us that students would not suffer as failing students would be offered remedial examinations within two-three months,” the HRD minister said. Earlier, sub committees constituted by CABE had also recommended that the no-detention provision should be reviewed.

Mr Javadekar clarified that the Class 10 board examinations are already conducted by all state boards and a decision on making CBSE Class 10 board exams mandatory may be taken at a later stage.

The minister further stated that learning outcomes for every class will be defined and included in right to education rules. The minister also stated that the CABE decided that it will meet every six months to take stock of the educational sector. Central Advisory Board of Education is the highest advisory body on education in the country.

The minister clarified that any change in current pass and detention policy is unlikely to be made for this academic year. “It may only become a reality in 2017-18 academic session,” the minister added. The HRD ministry may now take the matter related to reviewing of the No Detention Policy to the Cabinet.

Mr Javadekar said that the RTE Act would also need to be amended so that about five lakh untrained teachers are absorbed in the system by providing them adequate training by 2020. Under current RTE rules no untrained teachers are allowed after 2015.

Javadekar said that another key decision that was taken was that learning outcomes would be defined and made a part of the RTE rules. It would be laid down that what level of learning a child studying in a particular class should have achieved, Javadekar said.

A sub committee has also been consitituted by the CABE under the Telangana Deputy Chief Minister and education minister Kadiam Srihari, for making suggestions for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. The HRD Minister said that the proposed National Education Policy was also discussed at the CABE meet.

In the meeting in which apart from Javadekar and Union Ministers Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Vijay Goel, Mahendra Nath Pandey and Upendra Kushwaha, Educations ministers from 21 states and representatives from all other states and UTs were present.