Delhi’s New Education Policy: What School Students Need To Know On Latest Promotion Rules

New Delhi: There is an important update for students studying in Delhi’s state board schools. For those who have welcomed the AAP-led government’s ‘no detention’ policy for state board schools in Delhi, you should know that the same rules will not apply from the next academic session 2023-24. The Delhi government issued a new promotion policy for students of classes 5 and 8 and fresh examination guidelines for classes 3-8 which will be implemented from the academic session 2023-24.Also Read – Delhi Govt Schools to Start Celebrating Students’ Birthdays Under Happiness Curriculum

WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW ON DELHI’S NEW EDUCATION POLICY

• As per Delhi government’s new education policy, students need to clear Class 5 and Class 8 annual examinations for promotion. This means students of classes 5 and 8 “will not be promoted to the next class” if they “do not pass” the yearly examination.
• According to the guidelines, assessment of children’s learning in classes 5 and 8 will include mid-term and annual examinations as well as co-curricular activities. The co-curricular activities include project-based activities, portfolio, child’s participation in the classroom, participation in activities like theatre, dance, music, sports and child’s attendance.
• Under SCERT’s new assessment guidelines, if a child is unable to pass class 5 or 8, he/she will get another chance to improve the performance within two months through re-examination. “No child shall be expelled from school till the completion of elementary education. There shall be a regular examination in classes 5 and 8 at the end of every academic year,” the guidelines said. It further said that he assessment of classes 3, 4, 6, and 7 will be done on the same examination pattern as of classes 5 and 8. The students of classes 3, 4, 6 and 7 will not be held back in the same class.
• For classes 5 and 8, in order to be declared “Pass” at the end of the session for promotion to the next higher class, a student must secure at least 33 per cent marks in each subject during the session, according to the guidelines. “The promotion to the next higher class is also subject to the condition that a minimum of 25 per cent of marks must be scored in mid term plus annual examination,” the guidelines said.
• It further said that in order to be declared “Pass” in re-examination, a student will have to secure at least 25 per cent marks in the subject(s) and if a student does not secure at least 25 per cent, the student will be placed in the category of “essential repeat” — which means the student in this case will be held back in the same class during the next session.
• The new assessment and promotion guidelines prepared by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Delhi were released by the Directorate of Education (DoE) for all government, local bodies and private schools in Delhi on Friday.

WHY DELHI GOVT MADE NEW CHANGES IN EDUCATION POLICY

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the no detention policy was “very progressive” but the education system could not take full advantage of it “due to lack of preparation”.

“The ‘no detention policy’ was very progressive but due to lack of preparation, the education system could not take full advantage of it. But we need to prepare such a system to lay a strong foundation at the elementary level,” Manish Sisodia said was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Sisodia further stated that keeping the “holistic development of children” in mind, SCERT, Delhi has released new assessment guidelines. “Through these guidelines, our aim is not to stop any student from getting promoted to the next class. Our real aim is to bring the same degree of seriousness in elementary grades as for class 10 and 12,” Sisodia said.

Important Note: The guidelines will be implemented in all the government, government-aided, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Cantonment Board and recognised unaided schools within NCT of Delhi from the Academic session 2023-24.