Around 30,000 students were retained in class 8 in Assam schools over six years, contrary to the provisions of the Right to Education Act, a CAG report revealed.
The report pertaining to the Implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, also noted that around 12,000 students were retained in primary classes and upper primary classes in Arunachal Pradesh between 2011 and 2016.
In Assam, the by Comptroller and Auditor General observed, during the six year period ending on March 31, 2016, up to 34,000 children who attained the age of 14 years, were retained in class VIII.
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The reason for retaining the students above the age of 14 years was attributed to the non-completion of the elementary cycle as they were not enrolled in schools in time i.E. At the beginning of the academic years and in the some cases, the students were retained in same classes due to poor performance.
The Right to Education Act envisages that no child should be held back in any class or expelled from the school till the completion of elementary education.
"Audit noted that children above the age of 14 years were retained in elementary classes in violation of the Act in 15 states," the report said.
It also noted that one school in the East District of Sikkim retained 114 students out of 2105 in the same class during 2010-100 to 2014-15.
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