Tamil Nadu government has directed all the government schools and private schools to conduct regular examination for fifth and eighth standard at the end of every academic year.

The state government, in a notice issued on Friday, stated that all schools except Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools should conduct regular exams for fifth and eighth grade.

Moreover, if a child fails in the examination, he shall be given additional instruction and granted opportunity for re-examination within a period of two months from the date of declaration of the result.

The appropriate government may allow schools to hold back a child in the fifth grade or in eighth grade or in both classes in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed if he fails in the re-examination. Provided that the appropriate government may decide not to hold back a child in any class until the completion of elementary education.

According to the State government's statement, no child shall be expelled from a school till the completion of elementary education.

The State government also directed that in section 38 of the principal Act, in sub-section (2) after clause (f), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely--(fa) the manner and the conditions subject to which a child may be held back under sub-section (3) of section 16.