Class 5 and Class 8 students to get second chance to clear exams, says minister Javadekar in Pune event

The bill, which was introduced as an amendment seeking revocation of the ‘no detention’ policy in Class 5 and Class 8, was passed in the Lok Sabha on July 18.

To improve the learning outcomes of students, we will soon be passing a bill to conduct two examinations for Class 5 and Class 8 students, once we receive the approval from the Rajya Sabha on the same,” said Prakash Javadekar, human resource development minister, at an event in the city, on Sunday.

Union HRD minister Javadekar was speaking at a gas cylinder distribution event in Pune organised under the Prime Minister’s Ujwala Yojna. (HT File Photo)

Javadekar was speaking at a gas cylinder distribution event in the city organised under the Prime Minister’s Ujwala Yojna.

The bill, which was introduced as an amendment seeking revocation of the ‘no detention’ policy in Class 5 and Class 8, was passed in the Lok Sabha on July 18. This move came after the ministry received recommendations from 24 states to address the issue of higher number of students with ‘poor marks’.

By moving the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017, which advocates regular examination in Class 5 and Class 8, Javadekar aims to solve the problem of students dropping out, and poor performance in schools, especially at schools run by the government. In the original Act, no child admitted in a school was to be held back or expelled from the school until they completed their elementary education. This often leads to the eventual drop in performance in Class 9, as till Class 8, all students passed despite poor performance. The lack of learning outcome would reflect in the later years during secondary education, causing a lacunae in the entire education quality of students.

The amendment in the Act, is now awaiting the approval of the Rajya Sabha.