'Repeal no-detention policy at schools'

Most northeastern states want to remove the 'no-detention policy' at the elementary school level (up to class eight), Tripura Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty said here on Monday.

"The demand to withdraw the 'no-detention policy' at the elementary school level was raised at the 63rd meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) held in New Delhi," Chakraborty told reporters.

He said: "The eight north-eastern states along with most states of the country are not only against the 'no-detention policy' but are also in a awkward position due to the lack of trained teachers even though the Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009, made this mandatory."

These issues were discussed at the CABE meeting which was held under the chairpersonship of Union Human Resource Minister Smriti Irani in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Chakraborty said that the CABE meeting decided that the states would formally provide their views to the central government on 'no-detention policy', in writing, within 15 days.

"We would send our views against the 'no-detention policy' within this week. However, we (Tripura) and most of the other states want to continue the CCE (Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation). The CCE system should continue up to class ten standard," he added.

CCE refers to a system of school-based assessment that covers all aspects of students' development.

The minister said that the Left Front government strongly supported the plan for a new education policy, a process initiated by the Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre.

"It was decided in the CABE meeting that the proposed new education policy would be discussed from gram panchayat level to national level to evolve a consensus by involving all stakeholders. This consultation process would be completed by September," he said.

According to the minister, the Left Front government wants universalisation of education. "Without universalisation of education, how would digital India be implemented in the country?" he asked.

Education ministers and representatives of states and union territories were present in the CABE meeting along with senior officials of the central and state governments.