Integrated coaching banned in Maharashtra from next academic year

It will be mandatory to attend lectures in colleges, attendance to be marked with bio-metric system

The state school education minister Vinod Tawde on Friday announced that the government will not allow integrated coaching to continue from the next academic year to stop commercialisation of education. Students will also be asked not to take admissions for integrated courses.

State school education minister Vinod Tawde said the state will not take responsibility for those who still opt for integrated coaching. (HT FILE)

While saying that attending lectures at colleges will be made mandatory from next year and bio-metric system will be used to keep a check, Tawde said the state will not take responsibility for those who still opt for integrated coaching.

In integrated coaching, colleges enter into an arrangement with private coaching centres, in which students don’t have to bother attending college lectures. The issue was raised by the BJP legislator Ashish Deshmukh, who expressed concerns over its misuse. Replying to the debate, Tawde said, “Students who secure 96% marks take admissions for integrated coaching. They are charged lakhs. The coaching classes mark their attendance for the college too and based on that they get admission in class 12. But now this commercialisation of education will be stopped.”

Tawde said the government will not allow students to appear for class 12 examinations who have taken admission for integrated coaching and remain absent at their respective colleges. "Parents and students must take note of this. The government will not take responsibility of students who will take admission at such colleges,” said the education minister.

He also said that changes will be made to the science syllabus of Class 11 and 12 to get them at par with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and help students who want to appear for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) examinations. The difference in the syllabus has been affecting the prospects of Maharashtra students.