NEW DELHI: The Central Government has officially abolished the ‘no-detention policy‘ for students in classes V and VIII in all schools under its jurisdiction, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools, and over 3,000 other centrally governed institutions.
Additionally, this policy has been scrapped in 50% of the states and Union Territories (UTs), marking a significant shift in India’s education framework. With this change, students in these grades who fail their year-end examinations will now face the possibility of being held back, though they will have an opportunity to reappear for exams within two months.
A senior official from the ministry of education said: “The examination and re-examination shall be competency-based to ensure the holistic development of the child and not rely solely on rote memorisation or procedural skills.”
The official further clarified that the move is designed to identify and address learning gaps at various stages, with class teachers guiding students and their parents during the process. “Specialised inputs will be provided to students who are held back, and their progress will be closely monitored,” the notification emphasised.
The decision follows amendments made to the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2019, which granted state governments the discretion to modify the no-detention policy. While 16 states and two UTs, including Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal, have scrapped the policy, others such as Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh continue to follow it. Haryana and Puducherry are yet to finalise their stance.
The new policy was officially notified after the completion of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) in 2023. A senior official explained the delay in implementation: “When the RTE amendment was passed in 2019, the new National Education Policy (NEP) was announced shortly after. It was decided to wait for the NCF’s recommendations to ensure a holistic approach. Once the NCF was finalised, the MoE revised the rules for implementing the RTE provisions.”
According to the gazette notification, students failing to meet the promotion criteria will be provided additional instruction and given a chance to reappear for the exam. If they fail again, they will remain in the same grade. However, the government has reiterated that no student will be expelled before completing elementary education. “During the holding back of the child, teachers will provide targeted support to address specific learning deficits,” the notification stated.
The abolition of the no-detention policy has sparked debate, with proponents arguing that it will encourage accountability and academic rigor, while critics express concerns about potential stress and dropout rates among students. Nonetheless, the Centre maintains that the changes align with NEP’s vision of fostering competency-based education and holistic development.
