Coaching centres not happy with Sibal’s plans on Class 10 exams

“The HRD ministry decision will reduce the number of tuition-goers by 50 per cent,” predicts Prof P L Pawar of city-based S P Coaching Classes. “Other than the fact that Class 10 exams are a gateway to the higher studies in chosen streams,they have over years become a prestige issue for parents. It is for this reason that parents do not give a second thought to enrolling their children in private coaching classes.” The day of the results is looked upon by coaching centre owners as a major promotional day and advertisements in newspapers felicitating achievers from is common. Several private tutors in the city feel that Class 10 results are a motivator for most students and creating another option may mean eliminating the motivation.

Phulchand Chate of Chate Classes says,“Competition is important for growth as well as filtering talent. Keeping the board exams optional or starting a grade system is not as important as restructuring the education system. It is important that we encourage healthy competition in our students rather than eliminate competition.”

Suicide and depression by those who fail are a harsh reality,Chate says and suggests that to eliminate this,the government should concentrate on the role of teachers in students’ lives. “A teacher needs to act as a counsellor and not just a trainer. For that,they need to be equipped with the knowledge of counselling.”

Another stream of private coaching class owners and home tutors believe in a tailor-made examination structure. “There can be an eligibility criterion for the board exams and those who cannot make it can be given an option of appearing for a parallel exam that gives them the same certificate but does not put pressure on them to compete with students of exceptionally high skills,” says Mahesh Ghuge of Abel Home Tuitors.

Private coaching classes charging between Rs 5,000 and 35,000 feel they will have to cut it by 20-30 per cent.