The Impact Of the No Detention Policy on India

i) Lowered Anxiety: 

• According to a recent report by The Indian Express, 80% of students across India from classes 9 to 12 faced debilitating exam anxiety. In 2019, the amendment acknowledged a student’s struggles and how grades and the anxiety of “passing” were causing further academic harm.
• By eliminating the pressure of simply passing, students were more free to learn at their own pace for reasons far beyond grades.

ii) Lowered Dropout Rates:

• Exam anxiety isn’t just an isolated phenomenon; it is the reason several students might drop out. By assessing students on several parameters, the pressure to keep scoring was considerably lowered, thus increasing the retention rate in schools across the board!

iii) Cultivated Holistic Learning:

• In order to score better grades, students don’t fully immerse themselves in the learning process. To score higher marks, students tend to rely on rote memorisation and short-term tactics, which results in poorer skills in the long run.
• By removing the stress of the No-Detention Policy, children can be openly encouraged to develop better skill-building, creativity, and critical thinking.
• Some of the Best Boarding Schools in India, including The TonsBridge School have strived to create a cohesive and holistic learning experience. We’ve tried to incorporate motivators such as extra-curricular activities, sports, public speaking, leadership training and a whole array of courses to achieve this.

iv) Championing International Standards of Education: 

• Several countries and boards of education ensure linear student progress by teaching students the joy of learning at their own pace.
• This helps shift the focus on development over grades.

i) Lack of Accountability: 

• Often, without grades motivating them, students lose motivation, which in turn causes them to accept their failure without consequence.
• The lack of a definitive standard of excellence leads to students slacking off on their education, leaving them less motivated with a lowered focus on education.

ii) Decline in Learning Outcomes:

• Examinations don’t happen in silos; it’s a repetition of important information that a student can use to excel in other spheres of life. However, due to a lack of repetition and active recall of what’s been taught in classrooms, they’ll not memorise their academics with the same zeal and passion.

iii) Challenges in Higher Education

• Students from Grades 5-8 were the primary benefactors of the No Detention Policy. For 3 years, what started as a way to instill confidence in children turned into cushioning their lack of academic interest and skill, eventually leading to further problems as they grew up.
• Due to a lack of accountability, students would move up grades without having the foundational skills to help them understand the curriculum in later stages.
• Hence, students would be lagging further in academics and life skills.
• It caused additional stress on the teachers, who could not address the learning gaps without proper means of assessment.

When and Why was the No Detention Policy Scrapped

• In 2019, after years of debate, the No Detention Policy was revoked, leading to a renewed Right to Education Act. Students from classes 5-8 were to be given mandatory exams and could be detained if they failed.
• Concerns about the quality of learning and education levels have long been raised. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) postulated that students were moving up grades without achieving basic levels of literacy.
• Education experts believed that the lack of accountability was leading to a lack of interest among students and that they’d started missing out on the healthy competition that drives students to do better.

Incorporating These Lessons to Improve The Tonsbridge School 

• As one of the Best Boarding Schools in India, we’re constantly evolving to ensure the excellence of our students. 
• At The Tonsbridge School, we create a balanced educational space that promotes modern learning while paying homage to the role of traditional structures.
• We utilise tools like Yoga, sports, activities, and more to boost children’s morale while teaching them how to ace their exams!
• Rather than propagating a strict pass/fail system, we ensure a student’s learning with continuous assessment. These methods emphasise active recall, long-term memory skills, and more.
• Through continuous assessments, such as projects, skill-based evaluation, and interactive learning, our students don’t just read—they understand. 
• Our state-of-the-art technology and skilled teachers are paired to ensure every student views learning as a deeply personal experience. With individual attention to children’s needs, they’re bound to excel no matter their choice!
• Beyond academics, we aim to ensure that students learn empathy, discipline, emotional intelligence, critical thinking skills, and more through their assignments and tests.

While the No Detention policy no longer exists in the Indian Education System, its lessons have stayed with us, creating a profound impact. As one of the Best Boarding Schools in Dehradun, we aim to create an academic framework that hones both confidence, accountability, and excellence by receiving support so they can triumph effortlessly and emerge victorious, whether it’s in exams or life!