The Maharashtra state education department introduced changes to the Right to Education (RTE) Act last year which includes the introduction of exams for students in classes 5 and 8. However, the results of these exams have raised concerns.
A data from the Principals Association shows that around 13 per cent of students in 8th grade and 8 per cent of students in 5th grade across 150 schools in Mumbai failed the exam. These exams, held in April, were the first of their kind in the last 12 years.
The exam results varied by region. According to data from the association, the failure rate in metropolitan areas was 5%, whereas it was 4% in rural areas. The association's data covers about 300 schools in the state.
Under the new rules, schools are required to conduct improvement re-examinations and provide remedial instruction to students who fail. It should be noted that, for remedial instruction and reexaminations, teachers have to work during their vacation.
The school education department decided to start conducting exams for students in classes 5 and 8 in the academic year 2023–2024. Provisions were made for students who scored lower in certain areas to receive grace marks. Despite these measures, some students still failed.
The results are expected to be announced three days before the return of classes on June 15.
Share
Tweet
