The central government has scrapped the no-detention policy for students in classes 5 and 8. Under the revised rules, students who fail their year-end exams will be required to retake them within two months. If they fail again, they will not be promoted and must repeat the academic year, according to officials.
“During the holding back of the child, the class teacher shall guide the child as well as the parents of the child, if necessary, and provide specialised inputs after identifying the learning gaps at various stages of assessment," the notification said.
The government has clarified that no student will be expelled before finishing elementary education. The Centre’s move to scrap the no-detention policy for classes 5 and 8 aligns with the decision of 16 states and two union territories that have already discontinued the policy. However, several states and union territories continue to uphold it, while a few are yet to decide.