West Bengal to bring back 'pass-fail' system in classes 5, 8

Abolishing the no-detention policy, the West Bengal government has decided to bring back the 'pass-fail' system in classes five and eight from the next academic session, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said on Thursday. A notification in this regard will be issued soon, Chatterjee told PTI.

"This is in conformity with recommendations of the Ministry of Human Resources Development to bring back the pass-fail system in classes 5 and 8. Students would have to pass examinations to be promoted to classes 6 and 9 from the next academic session," he said. The no-detention policy till class 8 had been adopted by West Bengal government in 2010 amid protests from a section of teachers who felt that it would produce poor quality students.

West Bengal was among most of the states that had earlier mooted revoking the no-detention policy by the Centre but the MHRD left it to the respective state governments to decide..