The surge in private coaching institutions, targeting kids as young as 12, had become a double-edged sword, promising success, but often delivering stress, unhealthy competition and an undue emphasis on rote learning. The move also robbed young students of wonderment, creativity and socialisation in the formative years of schooling. This unregulated environment not only affected the mental health of students, but also created societal and cultural shifts, with traditional schools feeling the brunt of declining enrolments. Additionally, it led to the proliferation of dummy schools, allowing children to enrol, pay fees and attend coaching classes elsewhere.
What do the guidelines say?
Quality assurance: The government guidelines focus on ensuring that coaching institutions maintain a high standard of education. This includes qualified faculty, updated curriculum and periodic assessments to guarantee the delivery of quality education. Ensuring that these institutions prioritise holistic education over mere coaching, cramming and competition cracking is a fundamental shift towards fostering critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration.
Regulating advertisements: The guidelines address the issue of misleading advertisements that create unrealistic expectations, severe stress and a deep sense of failure, often pushing young aspirants to take extreme steps. Coaching centres will now be held accountable for the promises they make, reducing the false allure that often leads students astray.
Balancing school education: A noteworthy aspect of the guidelines is the emphasis on striking a balance between school education and coaching. The guidelines prohibit centres from enrolling students below 16 years, encouraging them to prioritise regular school studies and fostering a holistic approach to learning. This competition between regular schools and coaching centres will now place character development, values and attitude at the centre of overall development.
Mental health support: Recognising the toll on students’ mental health, the guidelines mandate counselling services within coaching institutions. This step aims to provide emotional support, acknowledging the challenges students face in today’s competitive environment. By placing emphasis on positive attitude, emotional intelligence, relationships, meaningfulness and an elevated sense of achievement, these institutions can contribute to well-being in a more constructive way.
Limiting working hours: To prevent burnout, the guidelines prescribe reasonable working hours for students attending coaching classes. It intends to curb the unhealthy practice of excessive study hours, severing students from the joy of learning and compromising on family values and relationships.
The implementation of these guidelines is a step towards restoring a healthier educational ecosystem. As students find a more balanced approach to learning, schools are likely to witness a resurgence in enrolments, contributing to the overall development of both students and the education system. This move firmly places the purpose of education as the flourishing of individuals both cognitively and in character.
Prime Minister Modi, in his engagement with students appearing for Board examinations through the programme Pariksha Pe Charcha, emphasised the boon of learning and examinations as celebrations. The coaching institutions were not in alignment with this philosophy. The government’s proactive stance in addressing the challenges posed by private coaching institutions is a commendable effort towards fostering a more balanced and student-centric education system.
The writer is a Delhi-based educationist. Views are personal.
The article was first published in Financial Express in February 2024. Reproduced with kind permission.Â