NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) is firming up to amend the Right to Education (RTE) Act by bringing in a Bill to this incorporating the revised "no-detention policy", in upcoming budget session of Parliament that starts from January 31.
Top government sources said the Union HRD ministry is expected to move the RTE Bill for discussion by the Union Cabinet before tabling it before the Parliament.
Sources said most of the state governments have supported Centre’s decision to revise the no-detention policy -- one of the major amendments initiated by the Centre in the existing RTR Act, 2010 -- and implement the pass-fail system from Class VI in schools across the country.
However states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka are opposed to the amendment to the current no detention policy. Tamil Nadu has pointed out that the Centre decided to allow students to complete schooling till Class VIII without being detained in 2011 and and so it should not change its stance so soon.
Sources said the Union Cabinet would take a call on how it intends to go ahead with bringing in the required amendments in the RTE Act before the Parliament in the upcoming budget session. The Centre’s expects states, opposing the change in no detention policy, blocking the RTE Bill.
Besides most of the states, the Centre also has the backing of the Union Law Ministry that has approved the HRD Ministry’s proposal on no-detention policy.
The Law Ministry has endorsed the Union HRD Ministry’s amendments needed to the RTE Act to implement the change in the current no-detention policy.
The passage of RTE Bill for amending the current RTE Act is crucial for the Narendra Modi government as it is fastening the process of bringing in the New National Education Policy by this year end.
As per the RTE Act, on April 1, 2010, this policy was enforced with the motive of providing education to each and every child between the age of 6 and 14.
The no-fail provision has been laid down under Section 16 of the RTE Act that prohibits schools from detaining or expelling student up to Class 8.
However the current no detention policy has come under severe criticism over falling learning outcomes and education levels in school education.
The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) - the highest advisory body of the government on education -- in its meeting on October 25, 2016 recommended that the no-detention clause in the RTE Act be amended. This, according to CABE could result in children from Class V till Class VIII to continue in the same class if they fail the school examination.