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Chandigarh:Stakeholders split over age bar for enrolling in coaching centres
Chandigarh Parents Association president Nitin Goyal said parents shared varying views on the rule, noting, “While it is true that a section of parents want to get their kids enrolled in coaching at the youngest possible age, many parents believe it is spoiling their childhood”
With the Union ministry of education releasing new guidelines for coaching centres, the rule disallowing students below 16 years of age or who are yet to complete their secondary education from enrolling at coaching centres has left stakeholders in the city divided.
Chandigarh Parents Association president Nitin Goyal said parents shared varying views on the rule, noting, “While it is true that a section of parents want to get their kids enrolled in coaching at the youngest possible age, many parents believe it is spoiling their childhood.”
Goyal said many grey areas needed to be addressed, adding, “Schools will step in to fill the vacuum and start evening classes to charge parents even more. The education department will also get more power over the coaching centres and officials may misuse it.”
Centres mostly offer coaching for exams like Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) starting from Class 9.
Parents can get their kids enrolled for coaching classes at even younger ages as well. The new guidelines also define a coaching centre as one that provides education to over 50 students.
The new rule has left those running the centres unhappy. An official of a reputed coaching centre from Kota, Rajasthan, which also has a branch in the city, said, “Our stand is same as that of the government, but it is parents who send their students for coaching, and it is done with their consent in line with the National Education Policy (NEP). Right now it is just a notification and we will see what to do when it is adopted.”
Kunal Singh, who runs a city-based coaching centre, said, “The age cap of 16, mandatory infrastructure and norms are completely out of context as nowadays students require a strong foundation to crack the competitive exams. The entrance exams are tough and students need to learn more than what is taught in schools and colleges.”
UT director school education Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar said they had yet to receive the guidelines. According to officials, the UT administration will have to notify a department dealing with the implementation of these guidelines, as their execution has been left to the respective state governments.
Under the guidelines, the competent authority shall have the power of civil courts, to accept evidence through affidavits, to summon and enforce attendance of any person, to enforce production of records and to enforce costs. In case of any violations of the rules, coaching centres will be liable for penalties including ₹25,000 for first offence, ₹1 lakh for second offence and revocation of registration for subsequent offence.
