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General Studies 2 >> Governance

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NO DETENTION POLICY

NO DETENTION POLICY

 
 
1. Context
 
The Union government amended the Rules of the Right to Education Act, 2009 in December 2024 to allow schools to detain students in Classes 5 and 8 if they are unable to meet the promotion criteria after a year-end examination. Students will be given a second chance re-examination after two months of extra teaching
 
2. What was The no-detention policy?
 
  • When the Right to Education (RTE) Act was enacted in 2009, it included Section 16, which stated that “No child admitted to a school shall be retained in any class or expelled from school until the completion of elementary education [Classes 1 to 8].”
  • The intention behind the no-detention policy was to create an environment where children could learn without undue pressure.
  • In many states, government schools stopped conducting any form of assessment until Class 5, automatically promoting students without verifying whether they had gained the necessary grade-specific skills and knowledge. Monitoring efforts were often focused on inputs and indicators rather than actual learning outcomes.
  • Attempts to introduce the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system in collaboration with UNICEF faced significant challenges, such as inadequate resources, insufficient teacher training, and general indifference among educators. In several schools, teachers merely filled out NCERT’s CCE forms in bulk without actually evaluating individual students’ skills.
  • Over time, many education boards abandoned the CCE model, which emphasized multiple formative and summative assessments, and reverted to the traditional system of a single year-end exam
 
3. Reasons for rolling back of no-detention policy
 
  • Recent surveys conducted by both government and private organizations have highlighted a concerning learning gap in India's education system.
  • The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), a well-regarded survey by the NGO Pratham, revealed that in 2022, only 42.8% of Class 5 students could read a Class 2-level text, down from 50.5% in 2018. Similarly, just 25.6% could solve basic arithmetic problems in 2022, compared to 27.9% in 2018.
  • ASER 2023 presented an even more troubling picture when testing foundational skills in youth aged 14 to 18. It found that one-fourth of this age group could not fluently read a Class 2-level text in their regional language, while more than half struggled with basic division problems involving a 3-digit number divided by a 1-digit number—a skill typically taught in Classes 3 and 4.
  • The National Achievement Survey 2021, conducted by the Department of School Education, also indicated a decline in learning outcomes as students progressed through school. Out of a maximum score of 500, Class 3 students averaged 323 in language and 306 in mathematics. These scores dropped to 309 and 284 in Class 5, and further to 302 and 255 by Class 8.
  • A 2023 government analysis of Class 10 and 12 results across 59 state and national boards revealed that over 65 lakh students failed their examinations, with failure rates ranging from 12% in national boards to 18% in state boards.
 
4. Way Forward
 
Prompt remedial action is essential at every stage of education. Regular assessments should be conducted at the school level in every class rather than at the board level. The best judge of a child’s learning is their teacher, who interacts with them daily. Teachers need to be trusted and equipped to identify learning gaps. Current rules mandate class teachers to "provide targeted interventions after identifying learning gaps at various stages of assessment" and require school heads to personally oversee the progress of children who are held back.
The focus on accountability is shifting. Instead of penalizing students for underperformance, the emphasis should be on holding teachers responsible for ensuring their students' progress. Many teachers tend to concentrate only on the students seated in the front rows, often neglecting those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds who may face greater challenges and are at higher risk of being held back. To address this, rigorous teacher evaluations are necessary to promote inclusive teaching practices and ensure that every child receives equal attention and support
 
 
 
For Prelims: NEP 2020, National Curriculum Framework, Sustainable Development Goals, University Grants Commission, Kothari Commission, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, 
For Mains: 
1. Discuss the key provisions and objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. How does it aim to transform the Indian education system, and what are its implications for inclusive development? (250 Words)
 
 
Previous Year Questions
 
1. Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2018)
1. As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in a State, a person would be required to possess the minimum qualification laid down by the State Council of Teacher Education concerned.
2. As per the RTE Act, for teaching primary classes, a candidate is required to pass a Teacher Eligibility Test conducted in accordance with the National Council of Teacher Education guidelines.
3. In India, more than 90% of teacher education institutions are directly under the State Governments.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2         (b) 2 only            (c) 1 and 3            (d) 3 only
Answer: B

 

2. Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016)
1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'.
2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A.1 only       B. 2 only          C.  Both 1 and 2            D. Neither 1 nor 2
 
Answer: B
 
3. The objective(s) of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan is/are: (UKSSSC Forest Guard 2021) 
A. To provide quality based education to all children from 14 to 18 years
B. Universal standstill till the year 2020
C. To provide residential school for the students of remote areas
D. All of the above
 
Answer: D
 
Source: The Hindu

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