Maidan: Detention and promotion exams will be introduced in Classes V and VIII from 2019, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said in Calcutta on Saturday.

In the present system, students are promoted to the next class irrespective of their performance till they complete Class VIII in all state-funded schools as well as non-Christian missionary-run private English medium schools in the country.

Several city-based private schools welcomed the idea. Many heads said it would give them the freedom to maintain academic standards.

Several educationists, however, warned that schools have to be careful because detention often doesn't help children.

"Children always don't gain if they repeat the same syllabus. Schools have to be careful... mechanical repetition at times doesn't help in the improvement of students," Devi Kar, director of Modern High School for Girls, said.

At the same time there are children who become complacent as they get promoted and it all accumulates when they reach Class IX and are unable to cope and have to be detained, Kar said.

A bill will be introduced in Parliament in July to amend Section 16 of the RTE Act, 2009, which says no student should be detained at the elementary level, the HRD minister said.

The amendment bill will provide a provision allowing schools to conduct annual exams in Class V and VIII, he said. "I am hopeful that the amendment will take place in July."

Students will get two chances, though. The first exam will be held in March starting from 2019.

If students fail in the exam, they will get a scope to improve and take another test in June.

Students will be detained only if they fail to clear this exam, the minister said.

The Centre and several state governments want to introduce the pass-fail system following reports that academic standards have fallen over the past few years.

Javadekar said the Centre had sought the opinion of states and 25, including Bengal, wrote back saying they wanted the pass-fail system. "States have the freedom to continue with the no-detention system."

Nabarun De, principal, Central Modern School, said the detention policy would benefit schools.

"Some students are becoming casual because of the no-detention policy and the general standard has been dipping.... The fear is not there that I have to study and earn my promotion," De said.

State education minister Partha Chatterjee said the Bengal government is in favour of doing away with automatic promotions at the elementary level.

The government will announce later the year from which the pass-fail system will return.