18 States agree to revoke ‘no detention policy’ in RTE

A committee headed by Rajasthan Education Minister Vasudev Devnani has sent recommendations to the Central government, stating that the ‘no detention policy’ under the Right to Education (RTE) Act should be revoked.

• The committee had received the consent of 18 States for required amendments in the ‘no detention policy’ under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
• Under the no detention policy, no student can be failed or expelled till Class VIII. However, States, including Rajasthan, have already done away with the policy.

What has the committee recommended?

• The committee, formed by the Central government, stated that a ‘learning level’ must be fixed for each class to check whether a student is eligible for the class that he or she is in.
• The committee also notes, “Students must not be detained in Classes VI and VII. However, they must meet the required ‘learning levels’. A month’s time would be given to students to retake tests and attain the required learning levels, failing which the students would have to be detained.”

What next?

• Now, for this to happen, the Centre will have to amend the Right To Education law — which prescribes the no-detention policy for students till Class 8.

A key component of the RTE Act, the no-detention policy was enforced on April 1, 2010, with the intention of ensuring that every child between the age of six and 14 gets a school education.

sources: the hindu