Rajya Sabha passes Bill to scrap No-Detention Policy

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 4: The Bill to do away with the no-detention policy which was passed by Lok Sabha in July last year has been passed by Rajya Sabha. The earlier Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill prohibited schools to detain students till they complete elementary education even on account of under-performance. The aim was to decrease the drop-out rates in school and to reduce the emphasis on year-end examinations. This was replaced with continuation evaluation of students’ progress throughout the year. However, this resulted in the students inability to clear class 9 and eventually dropping out of school.

With the amendment made in the Bill that was passed, states now have the power to decide to continue with the no-detention policy. They can choose to conduct an examination either at the end of classes 5 and 8, or both. Students who are unable to clear the examinations will receive additional instructions and the opportunity to appear for a re-examination within two months of the declaration of the result. If the students still do not manage to clear the exam, the state may decide to detain them..

Along with the scrapping of no-detention policy bill, Rajya Sabha also passed the Bill for National Council for Teacher Education (Amendment).