Tamil Nadu may retain no-detention policy till Class 8

The Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) has made changes in section 16 of the RTE Act, which there should be a regularexamination in Classes 5 and 8 at end of every academic year. In addition, if the student fails inthe re-examination, the appropriate government should not expel the child from a school till the completion of elementary education.

The amendment was aimed at improving learning outcomes in Indian schools. A senior official from School EducationDepartment told DT Next on Tuesday that it will hold talks with the Centre to immediately withdraw the amendments madeto the RTE Act fordetaining students at elementary level.

He also claimed that there is a provision in the RTE amendment that state government has the option to maintain status quo in the implementation of no-detention policy.

According to him, no-detention rule was a vital element of the RTE Act, 2009, which was implemented in all the states, with the aim of ensuring that every child aged between 6 and 14 received elementary education without board examinations.

The official also pointed out that Tamil Nadu is one of the three states after Kerala and Telangana that is opposing the Centre’s move to scrap no-detention policy since last year when the Bill was moved in the Parliament.

He said the Centre should have consulted and asked the opinion of all the state governments in the country before making amendments to the RTE Act.

“The rural children will be severely affected by the MHRD’s move since fear of failing will never encourage students in large,” he said adding “therefore, after consulting the stakeholders and academicians, the government will take all steps to maintain the procedure of passing students without conducting board examinations up to elementary school level.