STATUS OF COACHING INSTITUTES IN ARA:IS THE COACHING ACT BEING FOLLOWED?

16-JUNE-ENG 2

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA---------------------------The Bihar government implemented the "Bihar Coaching Institute (Control and Regulation) Act" in the year 2010 to ensure quality of education, transparency and safety of students. Under this law, it has been made mandatory for private coaching institutes across the state to register, provide basic facilities and follow the prescribed standards of operation. But the question is whether the coaching institutes operating in Ara city of Bhojpur district are following this law?

This law was made in 2010 and recently after the amendment in its rules in 2022–23, it is necessary to follow the following things. Every coaching institute is required to register with the District Education Officer (DEO). Coaching classes can be conducted only before 7 am or after the studies of government schools. The institute must have clean toilets, drinking water, fire safety equipment, first aid kit, proper seating arrangement and adequate lighting and fans. The minimum size of the class and student-teacher ratio have also been fixed. There is a provision of fine ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1,00,000 and closure of operations for non-registration or violation of rules.

This educationally emerging city of Bihar – Ara, has been a hub of coaching for years. There are hundreds of coaching centers here that prepare for class 10th, 12th, competitive exams, NEET and JEE. But the sad truth is that.

Most coaching institutes have neither registered nor follow the rules. Hundreds of students are being taught in small rooms, without ventilation and fire safety equipment. There are many institutes where there is no proper arrangement of electricity, sanitation or toilet facilities. There is no record of educational qualification of teachers, and no monitoring system.

Although the Bihar government has ordered the district administration to implement the Coaching Act, its compliance status in Ara is very weak. Neither is there regular inspection by the administration, nor has the list of all coaching institutes been published so far. No strictness is shown by the local education officials, due to which the rules are being openly ignored. Many times there have been talks of collusion between coaching operators and officials.

This negligence of coaching institutes has a direct impact on the education and safety of students. Lack of safety equipment in emergency situations, falling quality of studies, lack of timely fee refund or transparency of schedule, and parents not getting the right information – all these are harming students and parents.

Strict registration checking campaign should be conducted. Local media and students should be made aware that they should take admission only in registered coaching. An online portal/list should be made public which contains the list of registered coaching. An easy system of complaining should be created where students and parents can register anonymous complaints.

In an education-oriented city like Ara, the arbitrariness of coaching institutes and ignoring the rules is not only a legal violation, but it is also playing with the future of students. Now the time has come for the district administration to show activism, and the society to become aware and ensure that no coaching institute can run without registration and without safety standards. Because education does not only mean teaching, but also providing a safe, systematic and equitable environment – ​​and this is the right of every student.