Parliamentary panel for removing 'no detention' policy, common guidelines for states
New Delhi: The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development has backed the government’s proposal to abolish the ‘no detention policy in schools.
In its 300th report on the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, the panel has recommended allowing states their discretion in deciding about detaining a student in class 5 or class 8 or in both classes, or not to detain in any class till the completion of elementary education.
However, it has asked the Central government to issue common guidelines to the states vis-a-vis detention of a child.
"The Committee feels that learning of children must be assessed through examinations in classes 5 and 8. The Committee accordingly, welcomes the proposed amendment in clause 2(1) providing for regular examination in class fifth and eighth at the end of every academic year and hopes that learning of children would improve considerably in future," it said in its report.
" The National Council of Education Research and Training's (NCERT) National Achievement Survey or Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) have consistently revealed the abysmally low learning levels among school children. It is a cause of serious concern for the Committee," the panel said in its report.
It said that with the no detention policy, there is no pressure on the children to learn and on the teachers to teach and therefore, there was a need for policy change so as to improve the learning of children at elementary stage of education.
The Bill seeks to substitute Section 16 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 which provides that no child admitted in a school shall be held back in any class or expelled from school till the completion of elementary education.
This Bill provides for a regular examination in classes 5 and 8 and if the child fails, he shall be given additional opportunity for re-examination in two months time.
"The Committee, however, suggests that common guidelines may also be issued to all states/UTs with respect to detention of a child," it said.
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Kejriwal responds to EC, says water received from Haryana 'extremely poisonous' for human health
New Delhi (PTI): AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday responded to the Election Commission notice over his claim the Haryana government was "mixing poison" in Yamuna, and said raw water received from the BJP-ruled state in the recent past has been "highly contaminated and extremely poisonous" for human health.
In the 14-page reply to the Election Commission, the former Delhi chief minister said if such "toxic water" is allowed to be consumed by human population it would lead to grave health hazard and fatality.
Kejriwal said he only wanted to highlight the "urgent public health crisis" due to the quality of drinking water in the city, and he violated no law or Model Code of Conduct, hence the issue should be closed.
He said the "alleged statements" attributed to him were made as it was his public duty to red flag the "severe toxicity and contamination" of raw water received from the BJP-ruled state.
Following a complaint filed by the BJP over the matter, the Election Commission issued the notice to Kejriwal on Tuesday, giving him time till Wednesday 8 pm to furnish his reply.
Kejriwal also said the ammonia level in raw water received from Haryana was so "extreme" that water treatment plants in Delhi are unable to process and bring it down to safe and permissible limits for human consumption.
Following their party chief's response, the AAP issued a statement, saying, "It is an undisputed fact that there is 7 ppm ammonia in Yamuna water, A Delhi Jal Board CEO letter admits toxicity is 700 percent higher than the permissible limit."
In his response to the EC, Kejriwal also alleged that Haryana's "failure" in controlling pollution in Yamuna has resulted in an "unprecedented public health crisis" in Delhi. He alleged "indiscriminate" discharge of industrial waste in the river by the state.
The AAP supremo said Haryana is an upper-riparian state and Delhi, ruled by his party, has no role to play in the high level of toxic water being made available to the city.
"Due to such high level of toxic content in the raw water supplied by Haryana, the water treatment plants in Delhi are operating below capacity and there is a shortage of treated water in Delhi," he claimed.
Saying that access to clean water is a basic human right, the AAP chief asserted that raising this critical issue cannot be considered an offence.
"The said statement by no stretch of the imagination can be termed inciting enmity between different groups or prejudicial to national integration," he said.
On the contrary, the substance and purpose of these statements are rooted solely in the public interest, aimed at highlighting a legitimate civic concern that requires urgent institutional intervention, he asserted.
He requested the EC to intervene in the matter and issue appropriate directions to Haryana so safe water is made available to the people of Delhi.
