Govt brings back fail system in classes V & VIII
2
Bhubaneswar: State govt on Wednesday reintroduced the fail system in the annual examination of classes V and VIII from the current academic session.
A notification issued by the school and mass education department said students of classes V and VIII will appear for the annual examination at the end of every academic year.
If they fail, they will receive remedial instruction and get a chance to clear a re-examination within two months.
"If a child fails in the examination, he shall be given additional instruction and granted opportunity for re-examination within a period of two months from the declaration of the results," the notification read.
As per the notification, if a student fails in the re-examination, he/she will be held back in the same class.
However, no student can be expelled from school until the completion of elementary education.
State govt made amendments to the Odisha Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010, in line with a 2019 central change to the Right To Education (RTE) Act, which allowed states to assess and retain students in certain grades. The new rule, 14A, has been inserted to specify the manner and conditions under which a student may be held back.
The amendment is a departure from the existing 'no-detention' policy, which was one of the key features of the RTE Act, 2009, to check the dropout of children who fail in examinations.
The decision sparked mixed reactions from educators and parents. "The move will push students and schools to take academic activities more seriously, especially in foundational years. But there is also a need for strong support and proper teaching in schools to ensure no child is left behind," said Sabitri Sethi, parent of a Class VIII student.
Some parents, however, are apprehensive about the pressure the move might create. "Failing was abolished from school as it was imposing extra pressure on children. If a student fails twice, it could damage his/her confidence. The focus should be on learning outcomes and not on pass or fail," said Rajendra Patra, another parent.
Officials directed all district collectors, block education officers (BEOs) and school administrators to make necessary preparations for the implementation of the new rules from the current academic session. The notification will be published in the Odisha Gazette and made available on the department's website, official sources said.
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