Maharashtra Govt Preparing to Re-introduce yearly exams for classes 3 to 8

The Maharashtra government is planning to re-introduce the annual exams from classes 3 to 8. However, there have been no plans for detaining students for their poor academic performance. According to the Right to Education Act, schools have to promote the students of classes 1-8. The assessment of students has been done through their performance throughout the academic year.

The Maharashtra Minister said that the state government will form a committee to re-introduce the exam for students in classes 3 to 8. Unit tests and term-end exams have been discontinued in the state for 10 years. The Right of children to free and compulsory education act was amended in 2019 to allow states to hold yearly exams and to allow detention, whereas the Maharashtra government has not issued a resolution on the amended act.

Schools have been conducting exams on a quarterly and semester basis to evaluate students' performance. Those students who did not perform well on these exams are put through remedial classes to improve their learning outcomes.

School heads said that despite the poor performance of the students, if they get a chance to move further then it will only do damage to the students. "Students are pushed from one class to another due to the no-fail policy. "These children have it tough when they reach class 9," said the principal.

Teachers said that the exams make sense if the detention is allowed. " Schools are conducting exams and holding remedial classes for students who get promoted by default. "An exam that will allow detention will bring seriousness among students," said a teacher.

As part of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP), the state has been implementing various ideas to reduce the burden of school-going students. The minister has proposed dividing the textbooks into three parts and attaching blank pages with them so that students can write down their notes, thus avoiding carrying separate notebooks. He said the decision will also be taken by the state cabinet to provide free books and textbooks to students, and 85% of students have benefited from them.