Delhi govt to Centre: Limit no-detention policy

The Delhi government has requested the Centre to limit the no-detention policy, which entails automatic class promotion, up to class III, Rajya Sabha was informed today.
Some states such as Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Tripura have also requested to review the no-detention policy, HRD Minister Smriti Irani said.
She stated that a sub-committee constituted to examine the policy, has also recommended a "review of no-detention policy and its implementation in a phased manner".
Her statement came against the backdrop of criticism from various quarters that the policy, which came into effect with the enactment of RTE, has led to a decline in learning outcome in classes.

In her written reply, she, however, said that a comparison of the CBSE results and other State Boards' for class X and XII for 2009, 2012 and 2013, reveals that pass percentage has increased in respect of most of the states.
Similarly, the pass percentage of students of CBSE for class XII continues to remain high, she said.
Section 30 (1) of the RTE Act, provides that no child shall be required to pass any Board examination till completion of elementary education, i.E. Upto class VIII.
The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) which meets here on August 19, is expected to deliberate on the sub-committee recommendation before finalising its stand.