"Coaching Centres Cannot Enrol Students Below 16 Years" - NEW GUIDELINES ( MINISTRY OF EDUCATION )

 

Coaching centres can't enrol students below the age of 16 and admission procedure will be permitted only after successful completion of the secondary school examination, according to new guidelines announced by the Ministry of Education. The new guidelines also advise the coaching institutes against making misleading promises and guaranteeing rank or good marks.

The guidelines for regulating coaching institutes have been framed to address the need for a legal framework and manage the unregulated growth of private coaching centres.

It comes after complaints received by the government about rising cases of student suicides, fire incidents, lack of facilities in coaching incidents as well as methodologies of teaching adopted by them.

Conditions for registration:

No coaching centre shall:

• Engage tutors with qualifications lower than graduation.
• Make misleading promises or guarantees of ranks or good marks to parents/students for enrolling them in the coaching centre.
• Enroll students below 16 years of age; student enrollment should only occur after the secondary school examination.
• Publish or be involved in the publication of any misleading advertisement related to claims, directly or indirectly, regarding the quality of coaching, facilities offered, or the results obtained by the coaching centre or its students.
• Be registered if it has less than the minimum space requirement per student.

The objectives of these guidelines include:

• Establishing a framework for the registration and regulation of coaching centres.
• Defining minimum standard requirements for the operation of coaching centres.
• Safeguarding the interests of students enrolled in coaching centres.
• Encouraging coaching centres to prioritise co-curricular activities for comprehensive student development.
• Providing career guidance and psychological counseling to ensure the mental well-being of students.

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What Parents and Students need to know about the Ministry of Education's Coaching Centre Regulations? 

• Registration of coaching centres: The centers have to submit applications for registration to the competent authority within their local jurisdiction, complying with specified forms, fees, and document requirements outlined by the appropriate government. If a coaching center has multiple branches, each branch is considered a separate entity, necessitating individual registration applications.
• Enrolment of Students: The parents must be aware of the fact that students who are below the age of 16 are not permitted for enrolment. Entry is allowed only after the completion of secondary school examinations.
• Fees at Coaching Centre: Tuition fees for all the different courses must be fair and reasonable, with detailed receipts. A comprehensive prospectus should include information on courses, classes, duration, tutorials, hostel facilities, fees, exit policies, and fee refund policies.
• Timings: Classes should not overlap with school hours to ensure regular attendance. The curriculum timetable should allow students to relax. For both students and tutors weekly offs are mandatory. Class sizes should align with keeping a healthy teacher-student ratio.
• Complaints: Students, parents, or coaching center tutors/employees can file complaints against coaching centers, and the coaching centers too can file complaints against students/parents. These complaints will be resolved within thirty days or an inquiry committee will be established for this purpose by the appropriate government.

Also, in case a coaching center violates any terms or conditions of registration or general requirements, it has to pay a fine of Rs.25,000 for the first violation, Rs 1 lakh for a second offense. Further, the registration cancellation will be done for subsequent violation.