Students seeking admission to classes 6-8 in the state of Maharashtra will now be required to successfully clear the Class 5 annual examination. This change follows the approval of an amendment to the Right To Education (RTE) Act by the Central Government in 2019, and the subsequent gazette notification issued by the Maharashtra government in June this year, signaling the end of the no-detention policy under the RTE Act.
While it was initially announced that mandatory annual exams would be conducted in classes 5 and 8, with passage being a prerequisite for advancing to the next class, a recent Government Resolution (GR) issued by the department provides a detailed implementation plan. The GR outlines the schedule for exams, subjects, syllabus, evaluation methods, re-exams, and passing criteria. The admission criteria for age-appropriate admissions have also been revised as per the RTE guidelines. Previously, children were granted age-appropriate admissions based on their age when joining a school. For instance, an 11-year-old child seeking admission was directly enrolled in Class 6, regardless of their previous academic record. According to the GR, the Class 5 annual exam will now be applicable for age-appropriate admissions to classes 6-8. Students seeking age-appropriate admission in these classes should have either cleared the mandatory Class 5 annual exam or the school should conduct an exam to determine if admission can be granted to classes 6-8. If a student fails the exam, they will be admitted to Class 5. Mandatory annual exams for all students in classes 5 and 8 across Maharashtra will be conducted in the second week of April. Students who do not pass these exams will undergo remedial teaching during the summer, and a re-exam will be held in June.
The re-exam will take place in the first week of June across Maharashtra, except in Vidarbha, where it will be held in the second week of June. The results of the re-exam must be declared by the school at least three days before the next academic year begins. As outlined in the GR, the annual exams for classes 5 and 8 will be based on the syllabus of the second term of the respective academic years. The Class 5 exam will cover three languages, Mathematics, and Science, with a total of 50 marks, including 10 marks for oral exams or practicals. A minimum of 18 marks (35 percent) per subject is required to pass.
For the Class 8 annual examination, social science will be added to the list of subjects, making it a 60-mark exam, including 10 marks for oral exams or practicals. Students must score a minimum of 21 marks per subject to pass.