Pre-Covid buzz to return in city as classes, coaching centres reopen

After the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) decided to reopen coaching classes, the movement of students across the city is set to increase after a break of nine months.

In addition to the classes, the schedule of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination was also declared.

The city is known for both, MPSC exam preparations and coaching classes, as students from across the country, come to study in Pune.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the education ecosystem in the city was hit, and online education took over as the new academic year began.

Since the unlock process, students are returning to the city and now looking to start afresh with coaching classes, study circle libraries and the preparation for competitive exams.

“As the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) issued orders related to starting of private coaching classes in Pune, we immediately started getting calls from parents and students. All of them were eagerly asking about when we are going to restart offline classes. Class 10 and 12 exams have been postponed this year, but students want to prepare for it well. So, we are now making necessary safety arrangements at all our class branches in Pune city, and restart offline classes in batches from next weekend,” said Kedar Takalkar, founder-director of Takalkar Classes.

In Pune city, there are different types of private coaching classes, right from school level, for board exams, entrance exams and competitive exam classes.

With students in the city, an entire financial eco-system is dependent on them, like PG rooms, mess, small businesses, grocery shops.

Similarly, study circles in Pune especially in the peth areas have again started gaining momentum, as day by day the number of students coming back to Pune and taking admissions are increasing.

Rajesh Pandit, owner of Valmiki study circle said, “During the lockdown period, all the study circle centres were closed in Pune. However, in the last couple of months, we have all reopened measuring responses by students. Now, as the MPSC exam dates are declared, we hope that the number of students coming to study circles will increase. We are following all the Covid related protocols given by the government, also social distancing is maintained inside the centres. Also, the medical history of students is taken before admissions.”

On January 11, the MPSC announced its revised dates for state civil service prelims examination. This exam which was earlier scheduled on October 11, 2020, is now rescheduled for March 14, 2021.

Archana Solanki a parent said, “My daughter is in CBSE board class 10 and she hardly studies during the online classes. We are worried about her marks, as her entire career is dependent on getting good marks in the board exams. It has given us relief that private coaching classes are restarting back soon. We have already contacted the class management where she used to go last year and will join the classes once it starts.”