Govt plans law for coaching classes in state

Hemali Chhapia I TNN

Mumbai: After regulating fees in schools across the state, the government now has a fresh agenda— bringing in a law to monitor coaching classes.

According to the Maharashtra Coaching Classes Owners’ Association (MCCOA), there are about 50,000 private coaching institutes in the state. If the government has its way, they will soon have to abide by the state’s diktat that will regulate the number of students they can take
in and the fees they charge, apart from a host of other criteria (see box).

School education minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said he would invite coaching class associations for a discussion next week, before the legislation. “We have decided to introduce a legislation to regulate coaching institutes, small and big, in terms of the students they take in, the fees they charge, the infrastructure they have set up,’’ he said.

Vikhe-Patil said they had received several complaints regarding coaching classes and the government felt it was time certain amount of control was introduced. Coaching class owners, however, questioned the state’s decision to regulate them, reasoning that the government cannot dictate terms on private unaided bodies. Narendra Bambwani, secretary of the MCCOA asked, “When the government does not interfere in private unaided colleges, why should there be any law to regulate us? Moreover, the government must set its house in order and improve public education first.’’

In 1999, Forum for Fairness in Education, an NGO, had moved court against coaching classes. In its appeal, the NGO had stated that teachers employed with colleges had also signed up to teach in coaching institutes. The case is still on in the Bombay high court, which last year asked the state to look into the issue. The government, however, then shied away from introducing any law. Incidentally, in 2001-02, the government drafted an ordinance outlining rules and regulations for coaching classes, but let it lapse. Last year, several coaching classes lined up to seek permission to start junior colleges. But on Thursday, the education minister told TOI that letting the classes to get into mainstream education was not on his government’s agenda.

LAW WILL REGULATE
How many students a class can take in How many courses can be taught Fees that can be charged Basic infrastructure classes need to have Minimum salary for teachers Minimum qualification for teachers