The much anticipated bill to regulate the coaching industry and aimed at curbing the student suicides in Rajasthan has suddenly gone into cold storage.
The budget session of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, which commenced on January 31, has been adjourned indefinitely. During this session, the state government introduced 14 bills, but only 10 were passed, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
After extensive discussions and protests, three bills were referred to the Select Committee for reconsideration. These include the Groundwater Management Bill, the Rajasthan Land Revenue Amendment Bill, and the Rajasthan Coaching Center Bill.
While ruling party leaders made statements about introducing the Conversion Bill, it was not tabled in the session. As a result, a total of four bills remain pending.
While four Bills have got delayed, a huge political storm has erupted over the stalling of the coaching centre bill.
On the final day of the session, a heated debate was witnessed between the ruling and opposition parties over the Rajasthan Coaching Center Bill, 2025, which was introduced just a few days ago and aims to regulate coaching centers.
Surprisingly, despite the opposition agreeing to pass the bill with minor amendments, the government refused to approve it, leading to its referral to the Select Committee.
The opposition accused the government of deliberately stalling the bill, alleging a lack of seriousness in addressing the critical issue as the bill had come about after years of rising student suicides in Kota, called the coaching capital of India.
Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully alleged that the government succumbed to pressure from coaching centers and intentionally sent the bill to the Select Committee. He pointed out that the Central government permits 16-year-olds to enroll in coaching institutes, but this provision was missing from the bill.
Members from both the opposition and the ruling party criticised the bill, calling it incomplete.
Jully made serious allegations against the government, claiming that it had colluded with coaching institutes. He argued that if the government was genuinely concerned about the bill, it would have ensured its passage. He further mocked the Bhajanlal government for setting a precedent by sending three bills to the Select Committee in a single week.
Meanwhile, senior BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf opposed the bill, stating that if passed in its current form, it could force coaching institutes to relocate outside Rajasthan. He warned that this move could render thousands of teachers unemployed and negatively impact the state's Rs 60,000-crore coaching industry, leading to excessive bureaucratic control.
MLA Jogaram Patel countered the opposition's allegations, asserting that referring a bill to the Select Committee is a democratic process that allows for thorough review and improvement. He emphasised that the government's decision was not a deliberate attempt to stall the bill but rather an effort to refine its provisions.
The government maintains that sending the bill to the Select Committee is not a reversal but a necessary step to enhance its effectiveness. The committee will now review all aspects of the bill and submit its report to the Assembly before a final decision is made, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
Last year, there were reports of 17 such deaths in Kota, while in 2023, at least 23 students died by suicide in the city.This year, Kota has seen seven student suicides.
No matter what the real reasons or rationale for the decision, the stalling of the coaching centre bill implies that uncertainty now prevails over the first major step to regulate Coaching Centers. As a result, the hope to curb the growing menace of student suicides through this bill is unlikely to turn into reality for the moment.
