Class V, VIII students to be detained if they fail in second attempt

New Delhi: There has been criticism raised for the current education system, which bars the institutes detaining the children till class VIII, despite poor performance. However, class V to VIII students across the country will now get two attempts to clear their final exams when the ‘No Detention’ rule is ended, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar revealed.

According to a report by News18, while explaining the details of proposed amendment to the Right to Education Act, Javadekar said the students will get an additional chance in May to make it to the next class.

“Under the new rule, class V to VIII students will get two chances to clear their respective examinations. If someone fails — in two attempts — then they will be held back in the same class,” Javadekar said in his address at an event organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Kolkata.

Elaborating further, he said, “The draft has been prepared. Class V to VIII students will get a chance to appear for one examination in March and in May they will get another chance to appear. If they fail, then they will have to stay in the same class.”

Javadekar requested all the states to implement the new rule as soon as it’s amended and passed by Parliament.

When asked why there was this urgent need to end the ‘no detention’ system, he said, “We don’t want the students to suffer at higher classes. We want to groom them in the initial level of education so that they will not have to face any difficulties during board examination. I am sure this will help students to improve their learning skills.”

The existing Right to Education Act 2009 bars the detention of these students. But the Central Advisory Board of Education’s recommended ‘detention’ system for Class V and Class VIII students.