Guwahati: The Assam administration resolved today during a cabinet meeting to hold exams for Classes 5 and 8 in all of the state’s schools, and those who do not pass will be kept back in their original class.
Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu said, “In the Right to Education Act, 2009, there were provisions of examinations from Class 1 onwards, but the unsuccessful students could not be detained in the same class.”
“In 2019, the Assam government had amended the act and accordingly the state cabinet today decided to take yearly examinations for students of classes 5 and 8. The unsuccessful students will be detained in the same class,” he added.
The cabinet has resolved to give unsuccessful candidates a second chance to show up for a special examination that will be held two months following the release of the annual exam results.
The teachers will take remedial classes for them. “However, the candidates who will fail in that examination too will have to study in the same class for another year,” added Pegu.
The education minister for Assam added that it was commonly recognised that the lack of a pass-fail system in the lower and primary grades had a negative impact on the state’s educational system.
Hence, the government has chosen to bring it back to the school level.