The Tamil Nadu Director of Elementary Education has said that students from Classes 1 to 8 in schools under the State board have been promoted to the next class, in accordance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
In a set of directions issued to School Education Department officials across the State, the Director said officials should inform all government, government-aided and private State board schools under their jurisdiction to promote students from Classes 1 to 8.
Section 16 of the RTE Act, 2009, states that no child shall be held back in any class or be expelled until the completion of elementary school, and Tamil Nadu follows a no-detention policy for all the students till Class 8.
Education Department officials have further been instructed to direct heads of schools to enter all names of students onto the pass register.
Pass on instructions
Further instructions should be given to the schools by officials in the respective districts.
Since Tamil Nadu is currently under an intense lockdown, further information on when the schools can be opened to start the distribution of free textbooks and other resources for students will be announced later, the Department said.
Earlier in February, the State government had announced that students from Classes 9 to 11 were declared “all pass”.
The announcement came shortly after schools were shut following an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the State.
The board exams for Class 12 students were postponed, and the students are awaiting the revised exam schedule.
