Board exam for Class V, VIII students in Tamil Nadu govt schools

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to hold board examination for Classes V and VIII from this academic year, defying its earlier policy of no-detention till Class XI.

In an order passed on Friday (September 13), the government said that in order to abide with the amendments made in the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, it would be conducting board examination for Classes V and VIII.

It would be applicable to all Class V and Class VIII students studying under the State board syllabus. And those students who fail in the examination would be allowed to take a re-examination within a period of two months from the date of declaration of the result.

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If a student does not pass the re-test, according to the Centre’s amendment, the state government may allow the schools to hold back a child in the Class V and Class VIII. However, such children should not be expelled till the completion of their elementary education.

The board exam system would come to effect from this academic year since central government order has said that the changes would be applicable from March 1, 2019.

In the state government’s order, the Principal Secretary of School education department, Pradeep Yadav, has asked concern officials to take necessary steps to announce the board examination time table. The order will end the no-detention policy of the Tamil Nadu government.

It may be recalled that central government implemented the RTE Act, 2009 on April 1, 2010 and it was accepted by the Tamil Nadu government on November 8, 2011.