Centre Dismisses ‘No Detention Policy’ for Classes 5 & 8 – A Shift from No Detention to Accountability

The Centre’s decision to dismiss the ‘No Detention Policy’ marks a significant shift on how we look at addressing the challenge of learning gaps in our country. Read on  to discover how personalized and adaptive learning can support this transition.

What is No Detention Policy?

The No Detention Policy was introduced under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 in India. Its core idea was that students from Classes 1 to 8 should not be failed or held back in the same grade, regardless of their academic performance. The policy aimed to promote a stress-free and child-friendly learning environment.

Why Was It Introduced?

• To reduce the fear of failure and encourage students to stay in school
• To lower dropout rates, especially in underprivileged communities

Challenges Faced due to the Policy

• Declining Academic Standards: Automatic promotion often led to students progressing without mastering foundational concepts.
• Teacher Accountability: Teachers often found it difficult to ensure that students were learning effectively when promotions were guaranteed.
• Incremental Learning Gaps: Over time, students who struggled in earlier grades carried those gaps forward, making it harder for them to cope in higher grades.

In 2019, the RTE Act was amended to allow states the discretion to reintroduce detention policies. Following this, at least 16 states and two Union Territories have already implemented this change.

Centre on Dec’16, 2024 Scrapped the No-Detention Policy Leading To A New Era in Accountability for Students of Classes 5 and 8

The central government has officially abolished the “no-detention policy” for Classes 5 and 8 in schools such as  Sainik Schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and over 300 more schools governed by central authorities. This change marks a significant shift in the education framework, emphasizing accountability, and bringing back the focus on addressing the learning outcomes and not just identifying them as a challenge.

Under the revised policy:

• Students who fail their year-end exams may now be held back
• The failed students will be given the opportunity to reappear for exams in 2 months 
• Those unable to pass the re-examination will repeat the same class

A Shift from No Detention to Accountability: Competency-Based Exams Take Center Stage

A senior official from the Ministry of Education stated, 

“The examination and reexamination shall be competency-based to ensure holistic development of students, moving beyond rote memorization and procedural skills.” 

The official also mentioned that this change aims to identify and address learning gaps at various stages, with class teachers playing a key role in guiding students and their parents through the process.

 He also said, 

“Specialized inputs will be provided to students who are held back, and their progress will be closely monitored,”

The Officials also Explained Delay in Implementation of New Policy

The new policy was officially announced following the completion of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) in 2023. A senior official explained the delay, saying, “After the RTE amendment in 2019 and the subsequent announcement of the new National Education Policy (NEP), it was decided to wait for the NCF’s recommendations to ensure a comprehensive approach. Once the NCF was finalized, the Ministry of Education revised the rules to implement the RTE provisions. 

As per the official notification, 

Students who do not meet the promotion criteria will receive additional instruction and be given an opportunity to reappear for the exam. If they fail again, they will remain in the same grade. However, the government has emphasized that no student will be expelled before completing elementary education. During this period, teachers will offer targeted support to address learning gaps.

iDream Education’s Perspective on the Policy Change

At iDream Education, we applaud the decision to abolish the no-detention policy for Classes 5 and 8. While the original policy aimed to maintain student morale, it unintentionally contributed to incremental learning gaps. These gaps have been a major factor in students struggling in senior grades or losing interest in specific topics/subjects, ultimately disengaging from their education.

This Policy Change may see a strong acceptance of PAL based digital learning solution

The learning gap among students is a well-recognized challenge for schools, social sector organizations, and industry leaders alike. This has made the emergence of Personalized Adaptive Learning (PAL) a growing priority for both governments and social sector initiatives. While PAL adoption was predominantly driven by government efforts until last year, 2024 has been a turning point, with several large foundations integrating remedial learning in their education programmes. We’ve had the opportunity to work on implementing PAL on tablets,  PAL-based digital libraries and even PAL on smart class.

How Does PAL Address Learning Gaps?

PAL bridges historical learning gaps by creating personalized learning paths tailored to each student’s needs, focusing on remedial learning. Guided by the EdTech Tuna Framework, most PAL solution starts with a diagnostic test for each chapter. Based on the results, it generates a personalized learning path with adaptive practice questions and remedial video lessons. This ensures students can address their historical learning gaps and achieve grade-level proficiency, mastering every chapter step by step.

iPrep PAL solution is used by more than 2 lakh students, empowering them to cover their gaps in a non judgemental learning environment. In 2024, our iPrep PAL solution recorded over 1.75 lakh hours of usage.  In a government implementation of PAL on tablets, we observed a 38% to 44% improvement in learning, from the initial diagnostic test to the final test, highlighting students’ progress toward achieving grade-level proficiency.

If you are looking for a practical solution to complement the revised no-detention policy and support students, teachers and parents, you can take a demo of our PAL Solution by contacting us +91 7678265039. You can also share your details here or write to us [email protected]

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