Starting this academic year, Odisha has introduced a “fail system” for Classes 5 and 8. Students who don’t clear the year-end exams will now have to appear for a re-test — and if they still don’t pass, they could be held back in the same class.

This change comes after the state government amended the Odisha Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010. The new rules now allow schools to conduct annual exams and give students two chances to meet promotion criteria.

“All students of Class V and Class VIII will now have to appear for annual examinations,” said a notification from the School and Mass Education Department. “If a child fails, they will be provided additional instruction and an opportunity for re-examination within two months.”

If the child still fails to qualify for promotion after the re-test, they will have to repeat the year. However, the order also clearly states that no student will be expelled before completing elementary education.

BACKGROUND TO THE POLICY CHANGE

The move follows a change in the central Right to Education Act (RTE Act 2010), which was amended in December 2023.

States can now decide whether to conduct regular exams for Classes 5 and 8 and retain students who don’t pass — something that hadn’t been allowed under earlier rules.

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