Tamil Nadu to continue with no-detention policy for Class 5 and 8; defies Centre's decision to scrap it

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu will continue to follow the 'no-detention policy' up to Class 8, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said on Monday. The Tamil Nadu government has clarified that the centre’s decision scrape the ‘no detention policy’ for students of Class 5 and 8 will not apply in state-run schools.

The Centre's move to allow schools to detain students of Class 5 and 8 if they fail to clear exams has created a big stumbling block for children from poor families in getting educated without any hassles up to class 8 and this was 'regrettable', the minister said.

In order to ensure that all school children continue their education without hindrance, a system of compulsory passing up to eighth standard is currently being implemented in Tamil Nadu.

"In this case, the Union Government has amended the provisions of the Right to Education Act and introduced a system of re-examination in two months for children who do not pass the fifth and eighth class examinations, and the system for children who do not pass that to study in the same class for one year. The Union Government has also said that this new procedure will be applicable to the Union Government Schools which are run following the National Education Policy", the minster said.

Also read Centre notifies new Right to Education rules allowing schools to fail children in Classes 5, 8

TN to continue with no-detention policy

Tamil Nadu has followed a no-detention policy for years and will continue with the same. This has been done to give students, especially those from disadvantaged and rural areas, additional opportunities to complete their education. The goal of this policy is to ensure that these students have the chance to progress in their studies and not be held back due to academic challenges.

"It is truly regrettable that this action of the Union Government has created a major hurdle for children belonging to poor families to get education up to eighth standard without hindrance", he added.

Centre scraps ‘no detention policy’

The union government has scrapped the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8 in schools governed by it allowing them to fail students who do not clear the year-end exams.

After the amendment to the Right to Education Act (RTE) in 2019, at least 18 states and Union Territories have removed the 'no-detention policy' for two specific classes. As per a gazette notification, if a student fails to meet the promotion criteria following the regular examination, they will be provided with extra instruction and given a chance to reappear for the exam within two months from the declaration of the results.

If a student who appears for the re-examination fails to meet the required promotion criteria once again, they will not be promoted to the next grade. Instead, they will be held back and remain in the same grade, either the fifth or the eighth, depending on which class they are in. This means that despite being given an additional opportunity to improve their performance, the student will have to repeat the grade if they are unable to meet the necessary academic standards after the re-exam.

This provision ensures that students are not advanced without achieving the required level of understanding and academic progress.