Bhubaneswar: The state government has decided to reintroduce the ‘pass-fail system’ for Class-V and VIII students in Odisha.

The School and Mass Education (S&ME) Department of the state government today issued a notification in this regard.

As per the notification, the state government has decided to amend Odisha Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules-2010.

The new rules may be called the Odisha Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Rules-2025. The new rules will come into force on the date of their publication in the Odisha Gazette, said the S&ME Department.

There shall be regular examination in the Class-V and VIII at the end of every academic year in accordance with the new rules.

If a child fails in the examination, he will have to appear the re-examination within a period two months from the date of declaration of the results.

If the child fails again, he will be held back in Class-V or Class-VIII as the case may be, said the S&ME Department.

However, no child shall be expelled from any school till the completion of elementary education, added the department.

Notably, the state government had adopted a no-detention policy in schools at the elementary level some years ago.