Question : Exams for 5th and 8th Classes

(a) whether the Government proposes to reintroduce annual examination for Fifth and Eighth
standards across the country to ensure standard of education, with a clearly defined learning
outcomes ;
(b) if so, whether it is a fact that a Study by the Ministry has revealed that most of the Seventh Class
students are unable to do Fourth Class simple maths and Fifth class students are not able to read
Third class text and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the names of the States who have expressed their opinion in support of the decision and the
names of the States who have opposed ?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a): Yes, Madam. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) (Second
Amendment) Bill, 2017, was introduced in Lok Sabha on 11th August, 2017. It seeks to amend
Section 16 of the RTE Act, 2009 related to ''no-detention'' provision and provide for an annual
examination in the fifth and eighth classes.
(b): No, Madam. The National Achievement Survey (NAS), conducted by the Ministry on 13th
November, 2017, assessed the learning levels of around 22 lakh students of Classes III, V and VIII
from 1.10 lakh schools across 700 districts in all 36 States and UTs. This competency based
assessment was based on the subject-wise and grade-wise Learning Outcomes developed by the
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The district level report cards
have been made available on the website of the Ministry.
(c): Twenty two states viz. Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Puducherry, Delhi, Odisha,
Tripura, Gujarat, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Daman and Diu,
Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Haryana and
Arunachal Pradesh have supported modification of Section 16 of the RTE Act, 2009. Six States viz.
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra and Telangana have desired for ‘No-
Detention’ provision to be retained in the RTE Act, 2009.
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