NO
DETENTION POLICY IN SCHOOLS – POLITY
NEWS: The
Ministry of Education has allowed students in Classes 5 and 8 in approximately
3,000 central schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalayas, to be detained if they fail examinations.
WHAT’S
IN THE NEWS?
Recent
Policy Decision by the Ministry of Education
- Students failing the first attempt
will have the opportunity to take a re-exam within two months; failure in
the re-exam will result in being held back.
Background
of the No-Detention Policy
- Introduced under the Right of
Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, the
no-detention policy ensured that students up to Class 8 could not be
failed or expelled.
- The rationale was to reduce dropout
rates by eliminating the fear of failure and ensuring children complete
elementary education.
- The policy relied on the Continuous
and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system, which assessed students’
learning through regular and holistic evaluation rather than exams.
Reasons
for Scrapping the No-Detention Policy
- RTE Amendment in 2019:
- Section
16 was amended to allow states and the Centre to detain students after a
re-exam.
- The
government argued that automatic promotion was leading to lower learning
outcomes and disengagement among students.
- The 2019 amendment was based on
evidence of declining learning levels and increasing migration toward
private schools.
- Arguments supporting detention:
- Lack
of assessments led to complacency among students and teachers.
- Declining
motivation among students, as performance seemed inconsequential.
- Low
teacher accountability due to a lack of focus on performance metrics.
Criticism
of the No-Detention Policy
- The policy was often misinterpreted
as “no assessments” or the irrelevance of performance evaluations.
- Data from Pratham’s Annual Status
of Education Report (ASER) showed a decline in learning outcomes in
rural government schools:
- From
2010 to 2013, there was a 10 percentage point drop in Class 5 students
able to read a Class 2 text.
- States like Madhya Pradesh and Punjab
pointed to adverse impacts on academic performance and advocated for board
exams in Classes 5 and 8.
Arguments
Supporting the No-Detention Policy
- Critics of detention, including some
sub-committee members, argued:
- There
is no evidence that detaining students improves learning outcomes.
- Marginalized
groups are disproportionately affected, as systemic issues like
inadequate infrastructure and poor teaching quality contribute more to
low performance than student effort.
- The TSR Subramanian Committee
on the New Education Policy (2016) supported the continuation of
no-detention until Class 5, citing the following:
- The
policy reduced dropout rates and improved gross enrollment ratio (GER)
for marginalized groups.
- Comparative
data showed improved pass percentages in Class 10 and 12 examinations
post-2009.
- Retaining
children in the education cycle for eight years is a significant
achievement in a fragmented society like India.
Parliamentary
and State Reactions
- In 2017, the RTE Amendment Bill
received support from the majority of states, with 18 out of 23 States/UTs
favoring the scrapping of the no-detention policy.
- States like Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh, however, called for its continuation to ensure universal
elementary education, citing concerns over increased dropout rates if the
policy was removed.
Implementation
of No-Detention Across States
- States/UTs Retaining the No-Detention
Policy:
- Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha, Uttar
Pradesh, Ladakh, and others continue to implement the policy.
- Tamil
Nadu also supports the policy, with officials emphasizing its importance
for ensuring minimum school education.
- States Scrapping the Policy:
- Delhi,
Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Bihar, and Gujarat have
abolished the no-detention policy.
- In
Delhi, the 2023-24 academic year marked the first implementation of
detention. Results showed:
- 20% of Class 8 students failed.
- Approximately 1% of Class 5
students failed.
Challenges
of Scrapping No-Detention
- Critics argue that detention does not
guarantee better learning outcomes.
- Factors like poor school
infrastructure, lack of quality teaching, and inadequate teacher training
also significantly impact education quality.
- Marginalized groups, who rely heavily
on government schools, are most vulnerable to the adverse effects of
detention policies.
Recommendations
and Way Forward
- To strike a balance between academic
rigor and inclusivity, stakeholders suggest:
- Strengthening
the CCE system to ensure meaningful assessments without adding
excessive pressure on students.
- Providing
additional resources and training for teachers to improve teaching
quality and accountability.
- Ensuring
adequate support, such as remedial classes, for students who lag behind
before deciding on detention.
- Implementing
robust infrastructure improvements to address systemic deficiencies in
schools.
Broader
Implications
- The debate around the no-detention
policy highlights deeper issues in India’s education system:
·
Balancing inclusivity with quality
education.
·
Addressing systemic challenges that hinder
learning outcomes, especially for marginalized communities.
·
Striking a balance between student welfare
and the need for academic accountability.
- Any policy decision on detention must
consider its long-term impact on dropout rates, learning outcomes, and
equity in education.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/2004-tsunami-early-warning-systems-9744095/