The Rajasthan government is set to enact a law establishing a regulatory authority to keep tabs on private educational institutes including coaching centres, ensuring that they open counselling cells, end glorification of toppers and deal with the kind of stress that possibly led to three students dying by suicide recently in Kota.
The draft law proposes aptitude tests for students before they join a coaching centre for competitive exams, and a helpline if they find that they cannot face the stress. The Rajasthan Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Bill, 2022, which has been in the making since 2020, is likely to be introduced in the next session of the state assembly, reported PTI. It covers schools, colleges as well as centres, like in coaching hub Kota, that prepare students for competitive exams. It also mentions setting up a career counselling cell to inform students about job options.
The draft bill also seeks to regulate tuition fees, annual fee hikes, cost of study material and other charges levied by private institutions, including tuition centres. The authority, headed by a prominent academician as chairperson, shall also make provisions to fix study hours, days off and the gap between tests to avoid stress on students. The regulatory authority will also take measures to discourage bogus advertising and "glorification of toppers" to prevent other students from developing a sense of inferiority, the draft says, according to PTI.
To ensure the mental and physical well-being of students in educational institutions, the authority shall frame regulations for regular counselling, recreation and safety of the students. It will mandate the establishment of a counselling and mentoring cell in every institute. Specific directions shall be issued for ensuring the safety of girl students, according to the draft, adding that there will also be provisions for differently abled students, teachers and non-teaching staff in private educational institutions.
The draft says there will be a mandatory aptitude test for students before they join a coaching centre and its findings shall be shared with their parents. The Authority shall mandate setting up a 24x7 helpline for students and parents. Private institutions would pay a maximum penalty of Rs 1 crore if they violate the provisions of the proposed law. The fine could increase up to Rs 5 crore for a repeat violation. The bill seeks mandatory registration of all coaching institutes with the government and annual auditing of their accounts, reported PTI.
Last month, the state government issued guidelines to provide mental support and security to students studying at coaching institutes. The guidelines suggested telling students about career options if they fail entrance examinations for IITs and medical institutes. They also had provisions for refund in case a student quits an institute, an official had told PTI. The guidelines also suggested an online portal to lodge complaints.
Over two lakh students from across the country take tuitions in Kota for entering medical and engineering colleges, staying in about 3,500 hostels and paying guests elsewhere in the city. Recently, three students studying at a Kota centre died by suicide, allegedly because they could not cope with the pressure of studies. Ankush Anand (18), a NEET aspirant and resident of Bihar's Supaul district, and Ujjwal Kumar (17), a JEE aspirant from Gaya district, were found dead in their rooms at the same house on Monday morning.
The third victim, Pranav Verma (17), a NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, allegedly died at his hostel late Sunday night, police said. Initial inquiries revealed that Anand and Kumar were falling behind in their studies at their coaching centre.
