Rajasthan Assembly passes ‘historic’ coaching centre Bill, Opposition claims it fails to address previous concerns

First tabled in March, the Bill essentially makes it mandatory for all coaching centres to get registered, lists a minimum-criteria for their operation and has provisions for setting up a state and district level authorities to enforce the law.

However, following intense opposition, it was sent to the Select Committee in March and now a fresh Bill, with minor changes, has been passed. On Wednesday, MLAs pointed out that even after five months, just three changes have been made: that in case of a violation, the coaching centre shall be fined Rs 50,000 for first violation and Rs 2 lakh for the second violation – a decrease from Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively, in the earlier version — followed by cancellation of its registration for subsequent violations.

Third, the Bill also changes the definition of coaching centres to cover only those which have more than 100 students, up from 50 students.

The fresh Bill skirts almost all the issues raised by MLAs in March, which included Bill ignoring some of the Centre’s 2024 guidelines, including having 16 years as the minimum age for enrolment in coaching centres. Other criticisms were that it doesn’t address the suicides adequately; that it is bureaucrat heavy, will promote red-tapism, inspector raj and overburden the Collector; and that the Bill puts no onus on parents who should also be counselled; and voicing of fears that the Bill may force the coaching centres to move out of the state.

Minister Bairwa said that the idea behind the changes is to not burden the coaching “unnecessarily” and to show that the government believes in “balance and justice.” However, Opposition MLAs said that the latest Bill too fails in its purpose and repeated that it ignores Centre’s guidelines, including the 16-year-old age criteria for students, and said that it be referred to a Select Committee or that it be circulated for the purpose of eliciting opinion.

They argued that the Bill primarily protects institutes rather than students, that penalties on erring centres have been reduced and the student threshold raised, effectively removing hundreds of small but erring coaching centres from its ambit. They also highlighted that the Bill ignores the alarming rise in student suicides and fails to mandate psychological or career counselling, despite an earlier assurance.

They also said the government has disregarded Centre’s guidelines, which had provisions for age restrictions, biometric attendance, holidays, and special support for disadvantaged students. Concerns were also raised about the Bill’s broad definition of coaching centres, lack of categorisation or surveys, and silence on hostels run by community or religious groups. They also warned of excessive bureaucratisation, exclusion of MLAs from district authorities, and a negative impact on Kota’s economy, all while leaving core issues of stress and student welfare unaddressed.

The debate

Compared to the March debate which lasted about five hours and saw intense opposition by some BJP MLAs, Wednesday’s debate lasted just under two and a half hours and no criticism by BJP MLAs.

Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully alleged that the government was influenced by the coaching centres which have deep pockets hence the penalties have been watered down.

“It seems that you have not brought the Bill for students and their parents, but for coaching centres. You are only strengthening them. Why else did you decrease their penalty and increase the number of students? You have removed hundreds of coaching centres from its ambit,” he said.

Bharat Adivasi Party MLA from Dhariyawad, Thavar Chand, said: “They talk of ‘double engine’ but they don’t implement what the Centre says”.

“Centre says those who are 16 or under will not be admitted in coaching centres, but this government will permit even 14- and 15-year-olds in coaching centres,” he said.

However, the government found some support in Congress MLA Rajendra Pareek, an MLA from Sikar which is also a coaching hub, who said that he was also a part of the Select Committee and that all the issues were discussed in the Committee. Defending the coaching industry, he said that it has helped Sikar’s economy immensely and that there are several reasons for depression but that a perception has been created that it is only because of coaching centres.

He said that students from rural backgrounds are being selected for IAS, IPS, RPS and other services through Sikar where about 30-35 per cent of its economy is dependent on coaching centres. “Does this mean I am supporting coaching institutes, no, I am supporting the kids of those poor families who can’t go to Delhi or Jaipur but instead go to Sikar,” he said, adding that if a 14-year-old is prevented from studying here, he will go to another state and study there instead.

BJP MLA Chhagansingh Rajpurohit from Ahore said that such a law was necessary and thanked the chief minister and the education minister for being “sensitive.” Praising various provisions, he said that it is a good Bill, in favour of students, and that it is the Opposition’s nature to criticise.

Meanwhile, RLD MLA Subhash Garg said that while there was a need for such a Bill and the committee was given a lot of time, it still had not addressed the issues. “Did the committee not feel the need to study the nature of coaching centres or to categorise them?” he said.

Garg criticised the Bill’s broad definition of coaching centres, warning it could foster corruption unless specific exams and centres are clearly listed. Congress MLA Poosaram Godara objected to leaving authority entirely with the bureaucracy, stressing that MLAs should be included, while others cautioned that already overworked committees would lead to further bureaucratisation. Congress’s Harimohan Sharma argued that the Bill does not address the real causes of suicides.

Congress MLA from Kota North, Shanti Dhariwal, questioned the need for a Select Committee if only minor changes were to be made, and asked which provisions will actually reduce student stress or suicides, while accusing Minister Bairwa of going back on his promise to make psychological and career counselling mandatory.

BSP MLA Manoj Kumar too said the Bill lacks provisions to tackle stress or prevent suicides. Congress MLA Manoj Kumar from Sujangarh added that coaching centres focus on commercialisation, not students, and called for RTE coverage, affordable coaching for the poor, and inclusion of sports and cultural activities.