Centre amends RTE rules: students of Classes 5 and 8 who fail re-examination can be held back
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Rules, 2024 introduce a revised detention policy for Grades 5 and 8 in Central Government schools.
Summary
The Ministry of Education announced on 23 December 2024 that the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Rules, 2024 had been notified through G.S.R. 777(E) dated 21 December 2024. The rules introduce a revised detention policy for Grades 5 and 8 in schools established, owned or controlled by the Central Government or by the administrator of a Union Territory without a legislature. A student who fails to meet the promotion criteria after the annual examination gets additional instruction and a re-examination within two months of the results; a student who still does not meet the criteria will continue in the same grade. The amendment keeps the rule that no child shall be expelled from school until elementary education is completed. According to the ministry, 18 States and UTs have notified the RTE (Amendment) Act, 2019 provisions, while 16 States and UTs continue the no detention policy from Class I to VIII.
Key facts
- Rules
- RTE (Amendment) Rules, 2024
- Notification
- G.S.R. 777(E), dated 21 December 2024
- Grades covered
- Grades 5 and 8
- Schools covered
- Central Government schools and those of UTs without a legislature
- Re-examination
- Within two months of the declaration of results
- Expulsion
- No child expelled until completion of elementary education
- Parent Act
- RTE Act, 2009, as revised by the RTE (Amendment) Act, 2019
Practice MCQs 3 questions
The revised detention policy notified by the Centre in December 2024 under the RTE rules applies to students of which grades?
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Correct answer: B — Grades 5 and 8
PIB (Ministry of Education): the revised "Detention Policy" applies to students in Grades 5 and 8 of schools run by the Central Government or by UTs without a legislature.
Under the RTE (Amendment) Rules, 2024, within what period of the declaration of results must a student who fails the annual examination get a re-examination?
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Correct answer: C — Two months
PIB (Ministry of Education): a student who fails to meet the promotion criteria gets additional instruction and a re-examination within two months of the declaration of results.
Consider the following statements about the RTE (Amendment) Rules, 2024: 1. They apply to schools established, owned or controlled by the Central Government or by the administrator of a UT having no legislature. 2. They allow a child to be expelled from school before completing elementary education. 3. They were notified through G.S.R. 777(E) dated 21 December 2024. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1 and 3 only
PIB (Ministry of Education): statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong because the amendment reinforces that no child shall be expelled from school until the completion of elementary education.