Agartala: Shifting from their previous stand, Tripura's Left Front government on Tuesday announced that it would apply a 'no detention policy' up to the eighth standard in the state's schools this year under the Right to Education Act, a minister here said.

"We are worried that after the execution of the 'no detention policy' under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RCFCEA), the quality of education is likely to deteriorate. With all kinds of reservations and apprehensions, the Tripura government would apply the 'no detention policy' from this year itself," Tripura education minister Tapan Chakraborty said.

Citing a possible fall in the quality of education, the Tripura government had earlier said that the 'no detention policy' would not be implemented in the state.

Principal Secretary (school education) Banamali Sinha said the Tripura government on a number of occasions communicated to the central government its misgivings about implementation of the 'no detention policy', but so far no response was received from the centre.

Minister Chakraborty said that many state governments, including West Bengal, have also expressed similar views about the 'no detention policy'.

"The Tripura government told the Centre that the act can be suitably modified to treat those students suitably who are totally irregular or not at all suitable for promotion from one class to the other at the elementary level," the education minister said.

According to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RCFCEA), 2009, no students up to the eighth standard in a school should be held back or expelled from school till the completion of elementary education. IANS