Government scraps 'no-detention policy' for Classes 5 and 8 in central schools

The central government has made a major change in education policy, ending the "no-detention policy" for fifth and eighth graders. This means that students in these classes who fail their year-end exams can now be held back and must repeat the grade.

"The Union Education Ministry has taken a big decision and abolished the 'No Detention Policy'. Students who fail the annual examination in classes 5 and 8 will be failed," Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, posted on X today.

"Failed students will have a chance to retake the test within two months, but if they fail again, they will not be promoted. The school will not expel a student until the 8th grade. Central Government has taken this decision intending to improve the learning



outcome among children," he wrote.

This new rule applies to over 3,000 central government-run schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools, as per senior education ministry officials. The decision, announced through an official notification, reverses the 2019 amendment to the Right to Education Act.

Under the new rule, students who fail their exams will get a second chance to pass within two months. If they don’t meet the promotion requirements after the re-examination, they will be held back in the same grade.

“If the child appearing in the re-examination fails to fulfil the promotion criteria again, he shall be held back in fifth class or eighth class, as the case may be,” the notification stated.