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Indian Education System 2018

The No Detention Policy and its Impact on Education

Greetings friends! Today, I want to discuss a crucial topic that will shape
the future of our country's education system and our children. This topic is
the "No Detention Policy," which states that no student can fail until the
8th grade of schooling. While this policy has been in effect for some time,
the government is considering removing it. In this blog post, I will explain
why this decision could worsen our education system and what actions
you can take to address this issue.

A Brief History

The No Detention Policy was introduced in 2009 under the Right to

Education Act. The aim was to ensure that every child up to the age of 14
has access to educational rights. As a result, the pass/fail system was
discontinued until the 8th grade, and the concept of Continuous and
Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) was introduced. CCE involves conducting
all-round evaluations of students throughout the year, reducing the
pressure of exams.

The Purpose and Impact of the Policy

The policy was inspired by developed countries and aimed to reduce exam
stress and dropout rates. Initially, I had concerns that removing exams
until the 8th grade would lead to neglect of studies and poor performance
in higher grades. However, data shows a different story. After the
implementation of the No Detention Policy, the passing percentage in
CBSE schools increased from 88% in 2009 to 98% in 2012. Dropout rates in
CBSE schools for students between 1st and 5th grade also decreased from
9% in 2009 to 6.5% in 2012.
Benefits of the No Detention Policy

The data suggests that students' future performance improves when they
are not under pressure to pass or fail. When students are not focused on
exams, they can develop reasoning abilities and concentrate on
understanding concepts rather than rote learning. Additionally, research
shows that chances of school dropouts increase among students who have
failed even once. Demotivation due to repeated failures is one of the top
reasons for students dropping out of school.

Social Implications

Looking at caste and religion-based data can provide valuable insights

into the development of different communities in the country. Analysis
shows that the dropout rates are highest among Muslims and Scheduled
Tribes, while General category students have the lowest dropout rates.
Among genders, girls have higher dropout rates. Discontinuing the No
Detention Policy could have a significant impact on these communities,
leading to increased differences based on caste, religion, and gender.

Economic Considerations

Discontinuing the No Detention Policy would also result in financial and

economic losses for the country. When a child drops out after studying
until a certain grade, the investment in their education up to that point
goes to waste. An uneducated individual becomes a burden on the
country. According to UNESCO data, every additional year of schooling
increases an individual's earnings by 10% and contributes to a 0.37%
change in the annual GDP of the country.

Exam Pressure and Mental Health

Exam pressure has become a significant issue in our society, leading to

extreme cases such as suicide. Data reveals that every hour, one child in
our country commits suicide. Movies like "3 Idiots" have highlighted the
detrimental effects of exam pressure. To illustrate the severity, incidents
like a 12th-grade student killing a 7-year-old child to postpone exams and
four schoolgirls jumping into a well after failing a monthly exam have
occurred. The education system needs to address these challenges.

Taking Action

The government plans to table a bill in Parliament to remove the No

Detention Policy next month. However, we can prevent this by signing the
petition shared in the description and the top comment. By spreading
awareness and encouraging others to sign the petition, we can protect the
future of our education system and our children.

Thank you for reading, and let's work together to save our education
system!