Amid criticism by ruling party MLAs and Opposition, Rajasthan Assembly sends coaching centre Bill to Select Committee

Before moving the proposal to send the Bill to the Select Committee, Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa said the aim is not to trouble the coaching centres but to provide a good environment to students. He rejected the criticism by some MLAs who said that more consultations should have been held before tabling the Bill, saying that a draft was uploaded online last year and that stakeholder meetings were also held.

Tabled last week, the Rajasthan Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill makes it mandatory for all coaching centres to get registered, lists a minimum-criteria for coaching centres to operate, has a provision for setting up a state- and district-level authorities to enforce the law, and imposes a minimum penalty of Rs 2 lakh for violations.

Monday’s debate, which lasted about five hours and involved close to 30 speakers, mainly centred around the argument that the Bill ignored some of the Centre’s 2024 guidelines, including making 16 years the minimum age for enrolment in coaching centres.

Other criticisms were that it doesn’t address adequately address student suicides; that it is bureaucrat-heavy, will promote red-tapism, and overburden the Collector; that there is no time limit on approving registrations of coaching centres; that it will be harsh on small coaching centres which should have separate classification and rules; that the it puts no onus on parents who should also be counselled; and that the Bill could force coaching centres to move out of the state and adversely affect the economy of Kota and the state as a whole.

Outside the Assembly, the Bill has been opposed by parent associations and some coaching centres too.

Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully said, “I see a conspiracy – big coaching centres got this Bill drafted. They want the government to earn praise for tabling it, but that it should not be passed either.”

Terming the Bill “an essay written by a class 5 student”, he questioned the “double engine government” and said that the Bill ignores Centre’s guidelines which said that children under 16 years cannot be enrolled, that attendance should be biometric, that it should include national holidays, should not discriminate among students, and has no provision for students from weaker sections.

Veteran Congress MLA from Kota North, Shanti Dhariwal, too raised similar points and said that “the government has brought such a Bill intentionally”.

Some BJP MLAs also criticised the Bill. Echoing several others on the Bill sidestepping some of the Centre’s guidelines, BJP’s Kalicharan Saraf said the Bill, if passed, would have long-lasting effects and that the Rs 60,000-crore coaching business would move out of Rajasthan.

BJP’s Anita Bhadel pointed out that coaching centres in the state provided employment to 10 lakh people directly and indirectly, and that approximately 50 lakh students are studying in these centres. “We should be careful with this Bill, and see whether it is adversely affecting the coaching centres. If it is, then the big coaching centres will move outside the state,” she warned.

She also said there should be a provision for counselling parents, as some children “don’t have the IQ” for the courses their parents push them into. She also questioned the “double engine” government, asking why some of Centre’s guidelines were not included.

BJP’s Gopal Sharma, too, questioned the sidestepping of some of the Centre’s guidelines in the context of the “double engine” government. He said that the first and second penalties of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively, will hurt the “small fish” and benefit the big fish. He also said that the proposed structure of the authority will open a window for corruption.

Other BJP legislators also expressed apprehensions regarding the effect of the Bill on coaching centres and the need for sticking to the Centre’s guidelines.

Congress MLAs said the Bill should be given more time. Congress’s Harish Chaudhary said, “I haven’t felt there has been a more important Bill in all my time as an MLA.” He took a jibe at the government, saying that the state has Rs 100 crore and two days for organising the IIFA event and seven days for Rajasthan Diwas, but not enough time or resources for such an important matter.

MLA Harimohan Sharma expressed scepticism that the Bill would stop student suicides and said it would adversely affect Kota’s economy.

MLA Poosaram Godara said, “Coaching centres have given us a memorandum saying it is a death warrant for us.”