NEW DELHI, Dec 24: The central government has amended the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010, introducing provisions for regular examinations and holding back students in Class 5 and Class 8 if they fail to meet the promotion criteria. The changes are outlined in the newly revised “Right to Free Compulsory Child Education Amendment Rules 2024,” which came into effect on December 16, 2024. Previously, state governments had discretion over detention policies, with 18 states opting out of the no-detention policy, while an equal number retained it.

Under the amended rules, competency-based examinations will now be conducted at the end of every academic year for students in Class 5 and Class 8. If a student fails to meet the promotion criteria, they will receive additional instruction and have the opportunity for a re-examination within two months. If they fail again, the student will be retained in the same class.

Speaking to reporters, Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of School Education, emphasized that these changes aim to improve learning outcomes, especially for students who struggle academically. “The Government of India has decided that even after every effort, if detention is necessary, students may be detained. However, no child will be expelled from school until Class 8,” Kumar said. He further explained that the amendments would focus on improving learning outcomes by providing additional support to struggling students and retaining them only in exceptional cases.

To further aid these students, the amendments mandate that retained students receive specialized support to address learning gaps. The new competency-based examination system will ensure that assessments focus on holistic development, rather than rote learning.

The “no-detention policy” was introduced in 2009 under the Right to Education Act, mandating the promotion of students until Class 8. However, the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation system introduced to ensure quality education was scrapped in 2017 due to poor implementation. The Right to Education Act was amended in 2019, empowering state governments to decide on the introduction of detention policies, addressing concerns regarding learning outcomes.

Kumar highlighted that while 18 states had abolished the no-detention policy in 2019, the other 18 continued with it. The recent amendment marks a significant policy shift towards improving elementary education and ensuring better academic performance. Teachers will be tasked with providing additional support based on assessments and engaging with parents to help students overcome learning challenges. School heads will be required to monitor the progress of retained students and maintain records of their performance.