The India-Canada diplomatic tensions and stricter visa rules for students keen to fly to Canada are significantly impacting small-scale entrepreneurs in Bathinda, the hub of IELTS (International English Language Testing System) coaching centres in the Malwa belt.
The Ajit Road in Bathinda city, which until a year ago remained abuzz with student activities as it is home to over 100 IELTS training centres and nearly 250 paying guest (PG) accommodations, now looks almost deserted. Industry sources said due to tension in ties with Canada, the most preferred destination for students of the southwest region of Punjab, a sizeable number of coaching institutes have shut down, while several others are on the verge of closure.
According to an estimate, more than 8,000 students from different parts of Punjab and adjoining districts of Haryana and Rajasthan used to get enrolled in various Bathinda IELTS centres for English proficiency coaching.
Now, small business owners such as those running PGs, stationery shops, hairdressing/beauty salons and eating joints that are directly dependent on footfall of students are battling for survival.
According to Ashok Sadiora, promoter of an IELTS coaching centre network having branches in several states, as there has been a sharp decline in students applying to study abroad, IELTS institutes in Bathinda have been steadily going out of business steadily in the last few months.
{{/usCountry}}According to Ashok Sadiora, promoter of an IELTS coaching centre network having branches in several states, as there has been a sharp decline in students applying to study abroad, IELTS institutes in Bathinda have been steadily going out of business steadily in the last few months.
{{/usCountry}}“Scores of local entrepreneurs have also lost business opportunities significantly. Now only less than a dozen institutes offering coaching to the youth preparing for exams for bank and police jobs are in the business,” he said.
Sachin Goyal, who runs a department store and manages a PG accommodation for about 25 students, says the business has gone down more than 75% in the past few months.
“Our family had invested in a spacious house to facilitate 25-30 girls. Things were fine a year ago, but now we hardly have five paying guests,” he said.
His sentiments are echoed by another entrepreneur, Gagandeep Monga, who runs a gift and cosmetic store. “My business was going well as I was earning more than ₹15,000 per day. But as the IELTS centres have shut down, there are hardly any students here and sales at every outlet in the vicinity have nosedived. We are struggling for survival,” he added.
An instructor at an IELTS centre said about two years ago, the Bathinda district police administration had implemented one-way traffic on the Ajit Road and barred the movement of four-wheelers to control the rush but there is hardly any activity on this stretch now.
“My relatives had taken a flat and two independent houses on five-year lease for rent purposes. Now, with hardly any takers, they are worried,” said the instructor who did not want to be named.