No-detention policy ruined edu system: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that the no-detention policy has ruined the education system, and he has assured that 60,000 students who failed in Class 10 this year will be readmitted.

"Previous governments introduced a no-detention policy till Class 8. It ruined the education system. When students took their first exam in Class 9, they failed en masse. They appeared through open school in Class 10 and 60,000 students failed," he said.

"I assure all 60,000 students who failed in Class 10 will be readmitted and special classes will be held for them," he added.

The Union Cabinet had earlier this month approved scrapping of the no-detention policy in schools till Class 8. An enabling provision will be made in the Right of Children for Free and Compulsory Education Amendment Bill, which will allow states to detain students in Class 5 and Class 8 if they fail the year-end exam.

However, the students will have to be given a second chance to improve via an examination before they are detained. The bill will now be placed in Parliament for approval. Under the present provision of the RTE Act, students are promoted automatically to higher classes till Class 8. This is one of the key components of the RTE Act which came into force on April 1, 2010.