592 students of Classes 5 and 8 skip annual exams in Ludhiana

This time, the number of Class 5 students who skipped their exam was 195 while in Class-8, the number touched 397, as per official records.

Blame it on the no-fail policy or just general disinterest in studies, as many as 592 students of Classes 5 and 8 in the district skipped their annual examinations this time.

Amrita Kausal, a mathematics teachers, says, “Students skip the mathematics exam as they find it difficult. I have been teaching this subject for the last 10 years and have observed that most students do not attend classes regularly which is why they do not understand the concepts clearly.” (HT File/Representative image)

Most of the students who skip the exams are from migrant families coming from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and visit their native places around this time, says deputy district education officer (elementary) Dimpal Madaan. She adds that most of these students also have poor attendance.

“But in comparison to last, the number of students who skipped the exams has come down,” she says. Last year, 932 students of Classes 5 and 8 from Ludhiana district skipped their exams .

What is the no-fail policy

According to Section 30, Clause 1, of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 says- “No child shall be required to pass any board examination till the completion of elementary education.”

Elementary education is defined as education from Classes 1 to 8.

This time, the number of Class 5 students who skipped their exam was 195 while in Class-8, the number touched 397, as per official records.

From Class 5, 195 students skipped the Punjabi exam, 192 remained absent during the environmental sciences exam, 184 students failed to appear for the English exam, while 183 students did not appear for the Hindi exam. Another 178 students did not appear for the Mathematics exam.

In Class 8, 397 students skipped the mathematics exam, 381 skipped the science exam, 356 were not present during the social studies exam, 347 missed the Hindi exam, 342 did not appear for the English exam and 336 students missed the Punjabi exam.

Amrita Kausal, a mathematics teachers, says, “Students skip the mathematics exam as they find it difficult. I have been teaching this subject for the last 10 years and have observed that most students do not attend classes regularly which is why they do not understand the concepts clearly.”

Smriti Joshi, another government school teacher, blames the no-fail policy for a large number of students skipping the exam. “ Students are aware that they will anyways be promoted to the next class, so they don’t take the exams seriously. This year, we made a lot of efforts and motivated students to not skip the exam.”