Lessons from Delhi deaths: Time to regulate coaching centres?

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Coaching industry is flourishing in Kashmir. Besides local institutes, there has been a massive influx of some known coaching brands into Kashmir, drawing massive student rolls. But how far is the infrastructure secure enough in terms of basic amenities? What about preventive measures in place to avert Delhi-type incidents? These, and many more, are some key questions that need our immediate attention.

Many coaching centres report lack of basic facilities like potable water, washrooms and well ventilated classrooms, not to talk of advanced facilities like fire-safety equipment, exit doors in case of emergencies.

Hundreds of students are crammed into dingy classrooms, at places with not more than 3-feet wide corridors which can be fatally dangerous in case of eventualities like fire, quakes or flash floods.

Although many have voiced concerns frequently over lack of facilities in view of charging hefty amounts from students, there are multiple reasons impairing proper regulation of coaching institutes.

First, there are forces averse to the idea of regulation because it mandates fulfilling basic criteria and standards vis-a-vis infrastructure, intake capacity and fees, among other things.

Second, it will make many coaching centres close down due to lack of meeting these basic standards.

Third, it will bring coaching centres directly under the ambit of law for any failure to meet these standards, and also for failures during any eventualities.

However, the Delhi incident has led to growing concerns among parents who are now calling upon the government to bring in proper legislation for regulation of coaching centres. This cannot be taken lightly.

As we all know Kashmir is vulnerable to all kinds of natural disasters which calls for public infrastructure to be very strong and robust. Children are the most vulnerable sections during these natural calamities and thus it is important for coaching centres, like other public infrastructure, to meet some basic standards on safety.

The Delhi Government has already announced bringing in such a legislation. The Government of J&K can take a cut from the same draft legislation and put it in public domain for more feedback and opinion from different stakeholders.

Earlier this year, following the concerns raised by various stakeholders regarding regulation of all the coaching centres, the department of Higher Education, Government of India issued strict guidelines for the regulation of private coaching institutes in all states and Union Territories (UTs).

The guidelines were issued at a crucial time as the states all over India particularly Kashmir valley witnessed a mushrooming growth of private coaching centers, particularly the franchises of outside coaching centres, charging exorbitant fees for different courses.

The MoE also acknowledged the need for a model framework to regulate private coaching centers during the last parliamentary session. However, the recent episode reported in Delhi indicated that there has been poor implementation of the guidelines issued by the MoE for regulation of private coaching centres.

The fresh guidelines issued by the MoE highlighted issues like rising student suicides, fire incidents, inadequate facilities, and questionable teaching methodologies prevalent in these coaching centers.

The MoE had also raised issue of the absence of a defined policy or regulation which has allowed unregulated private coaching centers to multiply across the country, leading to reported cases of exorbitant fees, undue stress on students, resulting in tragic suicides, and various malpractices.

The MoE guidelines provide a structured framework for the registration and regulation of coaching centers, suggesting minimum standard requirements and emphasising the well-being of enrolled students.

Key provisions of the guidelines include mandatory registration of coaching centers, qualifications for tutors, conditions for student enrollment, restrictions on misleading advertisements, minimum space requirements, and a counseling system. The guidelines also mandate the creation of websites by coaching centers with updated details on tutors' qualifications, courses, duration, facilities, and fees.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) also sought public comments on draft guidelines for prevention of misleading advertisements in the coaching sector.

Besides the implementation of the guidelines by the competent authorities, the parents have a key role to play in raising these concerns with the concerned coaching institutions. After all they are not merely paying for tuition but for basic amenities as well. Lives cannot be risked at the altar of chasing dreams like IAS, MBBS etc. It is important to ensure the safety of children first.

Firstly, if we talk about the guidelines, the J&K has already set guidelines in place for regulation of the private coaching centres. The regulations were framed for the private coaching centres under the government order number 435 -Edu of 2010 in which the government decided to regulate the functioning and performance of the private coaching centres across Jammu and Kashmir.

Over the years, the private coaching centres are governed by the same order in which all the parameters have been set for the registration and functioning of the private coaching centres. No doubt that the guidelines have become irrelevant from the past few years as the government's regulations have taken a back seat and all the private coaching centres are functioning at their own whim and will.

There is no mechanism to regulate the fee structure while other parameters set for registration of coaching centres are also violated in the majority of the coaching centres. It has been more than three years that no inspection is being carried out by the competent authorities to check whether these coaching centres are following all the parameters which are prerequisite for their functioning in Jammu and Kashmir.

Last year, the Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) stated that none of the private coaching centres was registered in the Valley as the department has not granted registration to any of the coaching centres particularly the new ones established in the Srinagar city and other districts as well.

However, in the wake of the tragic incident in Delhi, where UPSC aspirants lost their lives due to the flooding of a building basement, the district administration Srinagar has also ordered a safety audit of all coaching centers in the district.

The Deputy Commissioner Srinagar has directed a comprehensive inspection of all buildings housing coaching institutions. Considering the mushroom growth of coaching centres particularly franchises of outside coaching institutes in different districts of Kashmir, all the concerned DCs should order a safety audit of the buildings in their respective districts.

Amid the concerns, the Principal Secretary School Education Department (SED) recently convened a meeting wherein the functioning and regulation of coaching centres was discussed as well.

It is the right time for the J&K Government to constitute a high level committee under a special secretary rank officer to go for a safety audit of all coaching centres in Kashmir.

Alongside, the Law Department should also form a separate committee to undertake the exercise of drafting a legislation for regulation of coaching centres, after seeking inputs from all stakeholders, especially students studying in coaching centres.

Many coaching centres are located in areas which are highly prone to floods, especially in the city of Srinagar. The 2014 floods  are a stark reminder of the need to plug many holes to safeguard lives.

All stakeholders need to work in tandem to ensure that while children chase their dreams in coaching centres, they do not fall prey to tragedies like the one witnessed in Delhi.