Hyderabad: The Telangana government will oppose the scrapping of the no detention policy after an all-party meet on Saturday unanimously decided to do so on the issue.
All state parties supported continuation of the no detention policy. The BJP said board exams should be started in Class VII.
Deputy CM Kadiam Srihari said the state will write to the Centre against scrapping of the system. However, it seems unlikely that the state’s stance will be accepted to result in the continuation of the no detention system as part of the Right to Education Act. This is because most other states are firmly opposed to continuation of the system.
The Central Advisory Board for Education (CABE), comprising all states, had proposed the scrapping last month unanimously.
Political parties in state, on the other hand, were vocal against the move on Saturday. Former Minister J. Geeta Reddy of the Congress questioned why no detention should be scrapped.
"Instead the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation method should be strengthened," she said. TRS legislator P Sudhakar Reddy also seconded her view. Telugu Desam leader E. Peddi Reddy said that dropouts are continuing despite the no detention system being in force. However, he said the system should be continued and supported by other means to retain students.
BJP legislator N. Ramachandra Rao proposed that board exams should be introduced in Class VII with the no detention system in practice for other classes. Earlier, officials of the Education Ministry had also aired similar views.
Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari said there is unanimity on the issue and the state's stand will be sent to the Centre after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao returns from his China trip. He said the government would write to the Centre to maintain status quo.
Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani also said recently that a final decision would be taken only after considering the views of all states.
