New Exam Rules for Grades 5 and 8: No-Detention Policy Scrapped

The central government has announced a significant decision concerning school education, revoking the no-detention policy for students in grades 5 and 8. This change mandates that students in these grades must pass their annual examinations to be promoted to the next grade. If they fail, they will have to repeat the same grade. However, an additional opportunity will be provided, as students who fail the annual exams can appear for a supplementary examination within two months. Only those who pass this retest will be allowed to advance to the next grade.

This policy revision will apply exclusively to approximately 3,000 schools under the central government’s purview. These include Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools.

It is notable that 16 states and two union territories have already repealed the no-detention policy for these grades. The central government emphasized that implementing this revised regulation in schools remains at the discretion of the respective state governments.