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West Bengal Government decided to scrap-off the no-detention policy in schools for the goodness of children feature.

Accepting the Centre's proposal of revoking the policy of automatic promotions till Class 8 under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, the state school education department has written to the Union HRD Ministry that the existing system has led to deterioration of educational standards in Class IX.

Yes, we have written to the HRD ministry that we are in favor of abolishing the no-detention policy, state education Minister Partha Chatterjee said today. Incidentally, Chatterjee's letter was the state's response to a HRD Ministry verbal inquiry about its opinion on revoking the no-detention policy before seeking its official stand in a letter sent a few days ago.

In my response I have written to Smirti Irani just before the Durga Puja saying that West Bengal is in favor of revoking the policy. While revoking the policy, the Center should also keep in mind the issue of dropouts, the minister has mentioned in his letter to Irani. 

Incidentally, the ministry had sent similar letters to 20 other states that have supported the decision to reintroduce the pass-fail system till Class VIII. The Center has also sought opinions of academics, schools and child psychologists on the issue. The policy in schools, effective since 2010, was to ensure that every child attended school and did not drop out fearing of being held back.