Rajasthan vs. coaching industry: One step forward, half-a-step back

Could the bill offer students a secure/supportive learning environment and can it curb student suicides?

The much-awaited Rajasthan Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill-2025 has been shoved into cold storage. Aimed at regulating the state's burgeoning coaching industry and curb the sharp rise in student suicides in recent years in Kota, it was tabled in the state assembly recently. But despite the urgency, the bill's progress was stalled as it was referred to the Select Committee for reconsideration after a heated debate in the assembly.

The need to regulate the coaching industry, especially in Kota, is undeniable. Besides the absence of standardisation in curriculum, teaching methodologies or infrastructure at coaching centres, the focus on rote learning to crack entrance exams often comes at the cost of the well-being of students. Intense competition and fears of failure create severe stress for students; and huge fees and misleading promises leave students open to exploitation. No wonder, student suicides have become a grave problem with nearly two dozen students taking their lives in Kota alone in 2023 and 17 in 2024.

Overarching goals of the Bill

Seeking to address these issues through mandatory registration of coaching centres to ring in a degree of accountability, the Bill aimed at regulating study materials, faculty qualifications and the facilities provided by coaching centres. By setting minimum standards, the government hopes to ensure a basic level of quality and prevention of exploitation. By also regulating working hours of tutors and frequency of tests, it tried to reduce academic pressure on students and even mandated counselling and mental health support for students.

Projected as a welfare measure for students, the Bill was to rein in the coaching industry and its exploitative practices. But crucial clauses, proposed initially, were dropped in the draft finally tabled. A furore erupted in the debate and MLAs from the opposition Congress as also ruling BJP criticised the government for diluting the Bill.

Diluting key clauses

The decision to drop the age limit of 16 years for entry to coaching centres, mandated by the central guidelines of early 2024, invited the sharpest critique. This clause to shield younger students from intense academic pressure, was removed in the final version and raises serious concerns of exposing minors to a stressful environment.

Besides the opposition, ruling BJP MLAs like Kalicharan Saraf and Gopal Sharma too cornered their government over the key provisions dropped from the Bill.

In another contentious decision, the Bill made an aptitude test for students optional, though in earlier drafts it was to be mandatory.

Saraf pointed out that central guidelines had recommended a system where coaching centres would inform parents if a student remained absent for two consecutive days without prior intimation but the provision was missing from the bill. Saraf warned that “passed in its current form, the bill will push coaching institutes out of Rajasthan, leading to unemployment of thousands of teachers. A business worth Rs. 60,000 crore will shrink, and bureaucracy will dominate the sector.”

While BJP MLAs were guarded, the Opposition bluntly accused the BJP government of deliberately devising a flawed Bill. Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully asserted, “I see a conspiracy where big coaching centres got this Bill drafted. They want the government to earn praise for tabling it but don’t want it to be passed either.”

Lobbyists work overtime

Inevitably, political circles in Rajasthan are buzzing overtime that while major coaching institutes did not publicly attack the bill, many were lobbying with MLAs and ministers behind the scenes. Other stakeholders, like hostel owners and caterers, have formally raised concerns with the higher education department.

Operators of coaching centres worry that regulations like banning students under 16 years and mandating aptitude tests, would lead to a sharp decline in enrolments. They also argue that such provisions would impact their business and livelihoods of those employed in this sector. But critics claim the government has yielded to industry pressures in diluting and delaying the bill, despite rising student suicides.

Sidestepping the issue of capping coaching fees

The crucial question remains - Could the bill offer students a secure/supportive learning environment and can it curb student suicides? While it’s a positive step, lots of lacunae persist. Despite its intentions, the absence of age restrictions and adequate mental health support limit the bill's impact on student well-being. Worse, it has no provisions to cap or regulate the fees charged by coaching centers which leaves students and their families vulnerable to financial exploitation. This lack of fee regulation will continue to place financial strain on families and escalate student stress.

Finally, most experts believe that Rajasthan’s Bill on coaching lets down the very students it professes to protect. While measures like mandating registration, limiting classes to five hours a day, provisions for counselling, and allowing refunds if students leave midway are welcome steps, sociologists say they can’t change the toxic ecosystem of the industry. Just changing a few rules can hardly transform the cut-throat environment in coaching centres.

Instead, with no fee regulation, students will remain burdened with the moral and economic responsibility of not letting their parents’ dreams and money get wasted - often a crucial trigger for suicides.

In a nutshell, the delay in enacting the Coaching Bill reflects an intricate interplay between political calculations, economic interests, and student welfare. While the Bill is no panacea for the entrenched issues of academic pressure and student suicides, it’s a much-needed first step for a more humane coaching ecosystem in Kota and beyond.