The Centre has officially scrapped the ‘no detention policy’ for students in classes 5 and 8 who fail to clear their year-end exams. Under this new provision, schools will now have the authority to fail students who do not meet the promotion criteria.

What does the notification state

As per a recent gazette notification, if a student does not meet the requirements for promotion, they will be given additional instructional support and an opportunity for re-examination within two months from the declaration of results. Should the student fail to meet the promotion criteria again after the re-examination, they will be retained in the same class—either 5th or 8th grade—depending on where they are enrolled.

The notification further states that during the period of retention, the class teacher will provide guidance to both the student and their parents, identifying and addressing any learning gaps that may have emerged during various stages of assessment. This specialized input aims to help the student improve and succeed in the future.

No child will be expelled

However, the Ministry of Education has emphasised that no child will be expelled from school until they have completed elementary education. This change in policy will apply to over 3,000 schools under the central government, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools.

The move comes after amendments to the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2019. Following these changes, at least 16 states and two Union Territories have already done away with the ‘no detention policy’ for students in classes 5 and 8.