New Delhi: The Central Government, in a significant amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Rules 2010, has given the power to state governments to detain students in classes 5 and 8 in case they fail exams. While announcing the amendment, IAS Sanjay Kumar, Union Secretary of Higher Education said that the Central Government has taken this decision intending to improve the learning outcome among children.
Notable features of the revised rules include:
State governments are allowed to conduct regular annual examinations at the end of each academic year for classes 5 and 8.
Students failing the examination will be provided with additional instructional support and will be given a second chance to appear for the exam after two months.
If a student fails the exam again, they will be detained in the same class.
Flexibility to States for Implementation of the New Rules:
While the central government has given the states the flexibility to decide whether or not they want to conduct regular exams for classes 5 and 8, the schools cannot expel any student until the completion of class 8 irrespective of their performance in exams. The schools can only make the children repeat the classes in case their performance doesn’t meet the academic criteria.
Many states including Gujarat, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh have already adopted the new rules. The Delhi government is also set to introduce the new policy of regular exams in its schools. Meanwhile, states like Kerala have opposed the scheme arguing that regular exams and detention could lead to increased academic pressure on the students resulting in higher dropout rates and decreased overall well-being.
APAC News Analysis:
The new amendments to RTE Rules mark a substantial shift from the center’s original no-detention policy which forbade schools from detaining students in the same class if they failed an exam. The idea was to ensure that students, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds, are not discouraged from pursuing their education due to failure in examinations.
However, many stakeholders flagged concerns regarding the policy saying that it would result in students lacking accountability and academic rigor. They believed that if the students were promoted without a final assessment of their knowledge, it would leave them ill-prepared for more demanding exams in higher education. Moreover, it was pointed out that the no-detention, no-exam policy has increased the number of students failing class 10 board exams since they were not equipped with the necessary skills to pass the exams.
While both perspectives hold merit, the government should try to create a policy that can strike a balance to accommodate the needs of all stakeholders. On one hand, there is a legitimate concern about maintaining high academic standards and fostering an environment of learning and discipline. On the other hand, the importance of students’ overall well-being cannot be overstated. The government, in implementing these new rules, must carefully consider the potential impact on students, ensuring that any measures do not create undue stress or negatively affect their emotional and psychological health. By fostering open communication with educators, parents, and students, the government needs to design a framework that supports the holistic development of the students. Such a balanced approach would not only safeguard students’ well-being but also encourage academic excellence, ultimately creating a nurturing and effective educational environment that benefits all.
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