COACHING CENTRES WILL HAVE TO GIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL AID AND COUNSELLING

GOVT HAS MADE REGISTRATION MANDATORY FOR PRIVATE COACHING CENTRES FOR PROFESSIONAL COURSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY

- Abraham Thomas

Centre releases guidelines to regulate coaching centres

The Union education ministry has issued guidelines asking states to make it mandatory for private coaching centres to be registered and that ensure that they are barred from enrolling students below the age of 16 or charging exorbitant fees. It also directed such institutes to provide psychological and mental health support to students.

As per the "Guidelines for Registration and Regulation of Coaching Center 2024", released on Tuesday, such institutes need to conform with fire safety and building safety norms. The ministry has forwarded the guidelines to chief secretaries of all states and Union territories for taking appropriate action.

While a handful of states such as Bihar, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Manipurhave laws regulating coaching institutes, there was a growing demand at the national level to regulate private coaching units that charge exorbitant fees and cause undue stress to students amid a surge in suicide cases.