Govt cracks down on coaching centres; Mumbai reacts with mixed sentiments

The Union Ministry of Education unveiled guidelines for the regulation of coaching centres across the country on Thursday eliciting a mixed response from stakeholders in MumbaiThe guidelines stipulate that coaching centres should admit only students aged 16 or those who have cleared Class X Board exams Additionally centres are prohibited from making misleading promises regarding ranks or marks in competitive examsThe release of the guidelines comes on the backdrop of instances of coaching centres charging exorbitant fees undue stress on students resulting in students committing suicides loss of lives due to fire and other accidents and many other malpractices being adopted by these centres that are widely reported in the mediardquo mentioned the official pressOwner of a wellknown coaching class in Mahim speaking on the condition of anonymity said These guidelines are poorly designed Consider a case study involving a coaching centre with 100 students preparing for classes 912 in a small town and reassess the guidelines in light of this scenarioSuresh Kalpathi executive director and chairman of Veranda Learning Solutions right Dr Maithili Tambe CEO of The Academy School TASThe owner of another coaching centre in Borivali and Dahisar acknowledged a few positive aspects such as fee regulation and addressing misleading results However he expressed that the regulation possesses a dictatorial and draconian nature viewing it as an attempt to conceal the shortcomings of the government education system Many welcomed the moveI appreciate the guidelines This will facilitate the monitoring of institute standards ultimately benefiting the student community Coaching institutes failing to uphold standards in infrastructure and other areas may face challenges but overall it is advantageous for studentsrdquo said Malini Gaikwad a secondary school teacher in GoregaonShe further said The swift proliferation of coaching classes and integrated institutes gives the impression of business hubs treating students like commodities Having witnessed this closely both as a parent and a teacher I believe its better late than never and the introduction of these guidelines is a welcome stepDr Maithili Tambe CEO of The Academy School TAS said Students often grapple with immense pressure to excel academically and coaching centres assert that they provide the additional advantage necessary for achieving top grades and securing a bright future However these centres often impose an excessive amount of study material on students leaving little room for extracurricular activities hobbies and social interactionsStudents deserve the freedom to explore and enjoy their youth without being tethered to rigorous study schedules Concerns have been raised regarding the mental health impact of coaching centres as students may endure burnout stress and anxiety due to intense competition and performance pressureSuresh Kalpathi executive director and chairman of Veranda Learning Solutions overseeing J K Shah commerce classes said We anticipate that the recent guidelines specifying that coaching should be limited to students aged 16 and above will have a positive impact on our business lines particularly in our formal education segment VerandaK12rdquoWhat guidelines sayCoaching centres are required to submit applications for registration within three months from the date of guideline implementation adhering to specified provisions The following conditions govern the registration processgtgt Tutors with qualifications below graduation are not allowedgtgt Enrolling students below 16 years of age or assuring rank or good marks to parentsstudents for enrolment is not permittedgtgt Making misleading promises or advertisements is prohibitedgtgt Centres with less than the minimum space requirement per student are ineligible for registrationgtgt Hiring the services of any tutor or person convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude is not allowedgtgt Registration is not granted unless the coaching centre has a counselling system in line with the guidelinesgtgt Coaching centres must maintain an updated website containing details on tutors fees curriculum etc They are also obligated to adhere to relevant laws including separate registration as applicable in the local jurisdictionThe regulatory measures can be accessed on the official website of the Ministry of Education in India ndash educationgovin16The cutoff age for admission in coaching centres as per new guidelines