Despite the Finance Minister’s  vision of “100% good quality school education” for Viksit Bharat, the latest budget continues to underfund education, failing to address systemic gaps.

Issues in the Education system of India

• Inadequate Spending: Education spending remains inadequate at 2.9% of GDP, far below the 6% recommended by the Kothari Commission.
• Systemic issues: Systemic issues persist, with governments favoring quick-fix solutions over long-term reforms.

No Detention Policy

• About: The No-Detention Policy (NDP) was introduced through the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, ensuring that no child is failed or detained until Class 8
• Legal Provision: Under Section 16 of the RTE Act, it was mandated that no student shall be held back or expelled from school until they complete elementary education (Class 8).
• Objectives: To reduce dropout rates by allowing automatic promotion. To eliminate fear of exams and create a stress-free learning environment.
• Criticism : Some states argued that it led to a lack of seriousness among students and teachers. The policy was blamed for declining learning levels, although there was no conclusive evidence to support this claim.

Reasons for reintroduction of Detention Policy

• 2019 Amendment: The Right to Education (Amendment) Act, 2019 allowed detention in Classes 5 and 8 based on exam performance.
• Extension: The Central Government later extended the detention policy to all government schools, making exam performance a mandatory criterion for promotion.
• Declining Learning level: Blamed declining learning levels on NDP, despite lack of clear causal evidence.
• Learning Outcomes: States cited ASER 2022 to justify scrapping NDP. However, ASER 2024 shows no clear link between detention and improved learning levels.
• Shifting Burden: Burden shifted to students & parents rather than addressing teaching quality & systemic gaps.

Impact of Detention Policy

• Bullying and Stigma: Harms students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are more vulnerable to bullying, stigma, and exclusion.
• High Drop out rates: Leads to higher dropout rates, forcing children into child labor and socioeconomic instability.
• Hostile Environment: Students face a dilemma of continuing education in a hostile environment. Or drop out to avoid humiliation.

Way Forward

• Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE): Focus on regular and holistic assessment beyond just exams. Includes formative and summative assessments to track progress.
• Better Teacher Training: Improve pedagogy and teaching methods through regular training programs. Equip teachers with modern teaching techniques and student-centric approaches.
• Incentives for Performance: Reward students for academic excellence and consistent effort. Introduce teacher incentives to encourage innovation and effective teaching.
• Strengthen Schemes: Ensure children stay in school by improving access to quality education. Provide nutritional support through PM Poshan (Mid-Day Meal Scheme) to enhance attendance and learning.
  • Expand the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to include better infrastructure, digital learning, and inclusive education.
• Balanced Approach:  Blending No-Detention Policy (NDP) and Detention for Optimal Learning. Maintain the flexibility of NDP to prevent dropouts while ensuring academic accountability.
• Strengthening Learning Assessment Implement continuous and competency-based assessments rather than relying solely on final exams.
• Addressing Failures: Improve teacher training and classroom pedagogy rather than penalizing students for poor performance.
•  Long-Term Education Reforms: Focus on sustainable reforms rather than short-term policy changes.

Conclusion

Sustainable assessment methods, systemic reforms, and long-term strategies are essential for holistic educational development.

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