NEW DELHI: Government is drafting a regulatory framework for India’s booming coaching industry, starting with a crackdown on misleading ads and a mandate for full disclosure of teaching methods, faculty credentials, and student success rates. Proposals include limits on daily instructional hours and compulsory data on enrolment versus results to prevent parents and students from being swayed by exaggerated claims.The push aims to restore schools as the primary centres of learning. Boards have been urged to set up diagnostic and mock-test centres as credible alternatives to private coaching and to give greater weight to board exam results in college admissions.
Education ministry’s committee on “Reducing Student Dependence on Coaching Centres,” in a meeting last month, noted that coaching has grown into a parallel system with little accountability. Members flagged how ads showcasing toppers while “concealing the bulk of average outcomes” distort expectations and fuel an unhealthy race.The panel proposed that institutes publish audited data on student intake, school of origin, and results, showing the percentage clearing JEE or NEET. “This will bring honesty to the sector,” a member said, adding that the industry thrives on selective success stories while ignoring dropout rates and mental health costs.To reduce pressure on teens juggling schoolwork with intensive preparation, the committee suggested capping daily hours. Officials said limits could align with child-protection guidelines and help curb exhaustion, stress, and suicides linked to coaching.Mandatory disclosure of teaching practices and faculty qualifications was also recommended, amid concern that parents are lured by “star faculty” claims without knowing if instructors are trained teachers or recent graduates. Independent audits of marketing claims, like those for consumer goods, were advised.But members stressed that oversight alone won’t suffice without curriculum and assessment reforms. They cited gap between school syllabi and competitive exams, urging more higher-order problem-solving, time-bound tests, and MCQs in classes, plus a hybrid of MCQs & subjective questions to balance depth with speed.They also sought multiple CUET & NEET attempts yearly and greater weight for board results to reduce coaching’s sway. A broader cultural reset to value creativity and diverse careers was deemed essential.
