Delhi government has announced new promotion policy for class 5th and 8th students. It states that they will not be promoted to the next class if they do not pass the annual examination. These guidelines are to come into effect from the next academic year.
This is in line with the 2019 amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 (RTE). The amendment to the RTE allows states to determine under what circumstances students can be barred from promotion.
“As per the new evaluation guidelines of SCERT, if a child is unable to qualify the examination in class 5 and class 8, the child will get a chance for re-examination within two months of the declaration of the result to improve his/her performance record ” According to a report in The Hindu.
Failing a second time to improve his/her performance will result in debarment for one year. The assessment will include mid-term and annual examinations as well as co-curricular activities.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that the no-detention policy introduced in the RTE Act is to protect the interest of the students. While this was a progressive move, it was harming the future of the student as the education system could not take advantage of the policy.
In an effort to prevent further damage, the government has dropped the policy. Sisodia further said that the aim is to inculcate in the students the same seriousness towards the primary classes as it is for the higher classes.
To be declared passed in the examination, students have to secure at least 33 per cent marks in each subject and a minimum of 25 per cent marks in the mid-term plus annual examinations. This amendment came into force after careful review of the result and result pattern in Delhi government schools. Class 9 results have been affected for some time now. This was due to the students being automatically promoted from class 8 under the no-detention policy, the government said.
