Drive against coaching centres in Srinagar for violating COVID guidelines

Srinagar: Tightening its noose, Srinagar district administration has launched a drive against the private coaching centres to check the violation of government guidelines by them.

The move came after the administration received complaints against some of the coaching centres which were allegedly compelling the students to pay their fees.

“We received written complaints against some coaching centres which are forcing students to pay the fees. Some students sent us audio clips of owners of the coaching centres asking them to pay their fees,” a top official in district administration told Greater Kashmir.

As per new government guidelines issued on January 9 this year, all schools, colleges, polytechnics, coaching centres and ITIs etc will adopt online mode of offering education till further orders.

However, the students complained that the coaching centres were misleading them saying they would be allowed to operate after two days.

“We were called by the coaching centre to get vaccinated. But after reaching the institute, we were told to pay the fee as classes would start after two days,” an aggrieved student said.

The move left the students and their parents aghast who complained that the coaching centres were trying to mint money while the teaching was given a least priority.

“The coaching centres are trying to mint money. The government should take stern action against all these coaching centres for fleecing students,” another aggrieved student said.

This newspaper also received complaints from the students that some coaching centres had already taken payment from them before starting their classes.

“I paid Rs 38000 in a coaching centre three days ago. But now the government has ordered coaching centres to adopt online classes. I went to the coaching centre to get a refund of my money which I was denied,” a parent said.

The coaching centres are misleading the students saying that Srinagar district administration has allowed the coaching institutes to resume offline classes for NEET, JEE and civil service coaching after two days.

However, the Sub Divisional Magistrate Srinagar Owais Ahmad, who is also nodal officer for the COVID19 management in Srinagar said no statement was issued by the district administration about resumption of offline coaching classes.

“We have started a drive to check if any coaching centre is calling students for offline classes. As per government guidelines all the coaching centres have to adopt online mode of teaching till further orders,” Ahmad said. He said any coaching centre found violating the guidelines would be sealed.

Meanwhile, president Coaching Centres Association Kashmir (CCAK) Lateef Masoodi said no student would be forced to make payment to the institute amid this uncertainty.

“The student has his choice to opt for online classes. We cannot force him to do this or mislead him vis-a-vis resumption of offline classes,” Masoodi said.

He said the students had a right to get a refund of their money within a period of seven days. “If any student has any such grievance, he or she should approach the Association to get his or her issue resolved,” he said.