Students will face more pressure, we’ll face losses: Coaching centres on new guidelines

The new guidelines for regulating private coaching institutes have been formed to address the need for a legal framework and manage their unregulated growth.

Written by Vidheesha Kuntamalla

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New Delhi | Updated: January 20, 2024 07:17 AM IST

5 min read

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Concerns were raised by coaching institutions in Delhi-NCR on the guidelines issued by Ministry of Education. (Express File Photo)

Increase in academic pressure on students, loss for coaching centres, and a threat of job loss for several teachers — these are some concerns raised by coaching institutions across Delhi-NCR on the recent guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education that suggest that such centres cannot enroll students below 16 years.

The new guidelines for regulating private coaching institutes have been formed to address the need for a legal framework and manage their unregulated growth. “No coaching centre shall engage tutors having qualifications less than graduation. The institutions cannot make misleading promises or guarantee rank or good marks to parents for enrolling students… The institutions cannot enroll students below 16 years of age,” read the new guidelines.

Officials at Noida’s Vidyamandir coaching centre said, “This rule is going to gravely impact students preparing for JEE Mains and Advanced. Most students turn 16 while in Class XI. How can one expect to coach students for such a tough examination in one year? Mostly, students who are in Class XII or have passed out are eligible to take the JEE exam. The government, in this case, must increase the number of attempts that the child can sit for the exam.”

“If this rule has to come into place, then all institutions should shut their coaching for class IX and X students. This will adversely affect teachers too as they may lose their jobs,” added the official.

At VMC’s Noida branch, the official stated that currently, about 30% of the total student population enrolled at the institute are students below the age of 16.

Rahul Gupta, the management head at Student’s Helper, a coaching centre in Kalu Sarai which coaches both IIT and NEET aspirants, said, “If the Ministry is doing this to reduce psychological pressure on students, then I’m afraid it might backfire. It is very difficult to prepare students for these highly competitive exams in just two years. Students ideally should start preparing from class IX as the school curriculum does not cater to the rigour of these competitive exams. This might also adversely affect the inflow of students, affecting business at the institutes.”

Gupta stated that about 40% of the student population enrolled at his institute is below the age of 16, in class IX and X.

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He added, “Students who come from well-off families can afford private tuition for additional coaching at home. But what about students who come from small villages all the way to Delhi on scholarships to prepare for their medical and engineering dreams? The implementation of this rule is only going to create more problems.”

TN Chowdhary, managing director at Turning Point coaching institute in Paschim Vihar, said, “If not a coaching centre, they might go for tuition or take up arrangements online. Coaching institutes tend to take students in from class VII or VIII onwards. For younger classes, from class VI-VIII, students sometimes come for mathematics coaching for higher classes. Class IX and X students come for their NEET and JEE base. Around 10% to 20% of students enrolled with us would be below 16.”

What students, parents say

Dev Bhatia, from Faridabad, who cleared NEET in 2023 and is now at AIIMS, Delhi, said, “I started taking coaching in class IX, when I was 14 years old. My brother joined a coaching centre when he was in class VIII and he is now in class X. I can say that it was helpful for my NEET preparation. Recently, there was news about suicides in Kota. So, it would make sense to avoid the extra pressure. But it also depends on the person, it varies.”

Pragata Ghosh, who gave NEET last year and is also at AIIMS, Delhi, said he joined a coaching centre at the age of 14. “For students who can, they offer an extra load of work like Olympiads. But those who don’t like that are spared. There could be extra guidance at the school level. I don’t think this regulation was necessary,” he said.

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Aprajita Gautam, president of the All India Parents Association, said it was a good move by the government to reduce pressure on students. “But there should be a check and balance in the system. The problem often arises with implementation of the guidelines and I hope the government identifies the problems which are seriously contributing towards burdening students,” she said.

Gautam further said her own daughter in Delhi had taken up coaching to pass NEET and reiterated that “our system and curriculum must be strong enough to ensure that additional coaching is not required as not all can afford it”. “We need to make our education system strong enough to make sure that students can pass these competitive exams with the school syllabus alone,” she added.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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