Rise of Coaching Culture in India

Have you noticed an increasing presence of coaching centres in your hometown? According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), the share of government as well as private school students undertaking coaching has steadily increased to 11.5% in 2021 from 9.9% in 2018. However, according to the 75th National Sample Survey, the expenditure on private coaching in urban areas is three times higher with an average of ₹1952 spent per student, in comparison to rural areas where ₹584 is spent per student. Many feel that the education curriculum, whether in private or government schools, remains inadequate as it is not oriented towards training students to crack entrances for competitive exams like NEET and JEE. A growing number of parents and students alike now consider coaching as the suitable alternative.

Coaching Centres Mushrooming in Smaller Cities

There is a rise of coaching culture not only in metropolitan cities but also in smaller cities and towns that cater to rural youth. For example, Ranchi had only 200 coaching centres in 2012. But in just a span of six years, this number shot up 10,000 according to the Jharkhand Coaching Association. Cities like Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Patna, and Madurai have witnessed a rise in coaching institutes as well. In smaller cities, coaching hubs like Patna’s Musallahpur Haat have gained popularity due to the provision of coaching services at nominal fees of around Rs 1,000 per month for 9-10 months. In comparison to Delhi, affordability in terms of coaching fees and living expenses in Noida has played a role in the city’s prominence for coaching. Career counsellors attribute the craze of coaching on limited career opportunities in smaller cities. Having a government job or a career in the medical or engineering field is seen as a lucrative and secure option.

In Guwahati, there are over 160 coaching centres that cater to students preparing for competitive exams such as UPSC, CAT, NEET, JEE, and more. Well renowned coaching centres in larger metropolitans like Delhi and Chennai, remain out of reach for many students from the Northeast due to limited connectivity and transportation. In Assam, students hailing from smaller cities and towns like Nagaon, Hojai, and Tezpur flock to the nearby state capital, cementing Guwahati’s status as a newly emerging coaching hub. Similarly, Dehradun has also emerged as a hub for defence exams and MBA coaching, attracting students from smaller cities in Bihar, Jharkhand, and UP.

The Problem in India’s Coaching Capital

Kota, a tier II city in Rajasthan, is known as the nation’s “coaching capital,” which receives around 300,000 students annually. These students prepare for highly competitive exams in cram schools (entrance oriented training institutes) to land a seat in prestigious public medical or engineering colleges. Kota’s popularity is driven by the track-record of successful students, competitive atmosphere, along with the presence of expert faculty. However, the city’s coaching culture continues to have a concerning impact on the lives of students. Since January this year, 10 students have died by suicide so far under the academic stress and pressure of cracking entrances. Dr. Soumitra Pathare, director of the Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy, argues that within the larger picture of employment and mental health crisis in India, “coaching centres are a symptom of the problem.”

Emerging Challenges: Fire Safety, Licensing & Regulation of Coaching Centres

Apart from this, there are several other challenges as coaching centres continue to grow. In Bhopal’s MP Nagar, nearly 90% of the coaching centres lack adequate infrastructure and fire safety equipment. Most centres accommodate up to 2000 students in a single location, and situated in multi-storey buildings or basements where entry and exit points are narrow, making it extremely dangerous. In May 2024, several coaching centres in Surat were sealed for not having fire safety clearance after a fire broke out in a Game Zone in Rajkot. Meanwhile, inspection of coaching centres in Dehradun by the Uttarakhand Commission for Protection of Child Right (UCPCR) in 2022 had revealed serious operational inconsistencies, either because of a lack of licence or proper infrastructure.

Without proper licensing, many JEE and NEET coaching centres have also begun charging irregular and exorbitant fees. In cities like Bhopal and Dehradun, fees range anywhere between Rs 30,000 to Rs 3 lakh annually. Due to such challenges, India’s Ministry of Education introduced new guidelines for coaching centres in January this year, to foster a more regulated and supportive environment for students. Key measures include prohibiting enrolment of students under 16 years old, only allowing enrollment post-secondary school examination, and forbidding misleading advertisements about coaching quality, fees, facilities, or results. Additionally, they are required to have counselling systems for student support. Violations such as charging exorbitant fees can lead to penalties up to ₹1 lakh or registration cancellation.

The Madhya Pradesh government, moved by the guidelines issued by the Centre, plans to crackdown on unregulated coaching centres that violate the new set norms, with the state’s Department of Higher Education enforcing the guidelines. However, associations like the Coaching Classes Teachers Federation Maharashtra (CCTFM) have opposed the new guidelines, particularly the prohibition on coaching for students under 16, stating that it will negatively impact students' academic progress. Prior to these developments, the Uttar Pradesh government had released guidelines in August 2023 under the Safe City Project, that barred coaching institutes from holding classes for girls beyond 8 pm. However, this decision has been revoked by December, due to widespread criticism from activists and students for restricting girls’ opportunities. 

Coaching for Free: Government Initiatives to Democratise Coaching  

Several government initiatives have also come up to provide free need-based coaching for students. This year, Odisha’s State Selection Board held an entrance test on 5th May to select aspirants who wanted to avail free residential coaching in Bhubaneswar to crack civil services examinations. Along with this, Jeypore’s Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) has taken the initiative to provide free coaching to 70 tribal students aspiring to appear in union and state services examinations. Similarly, the Tamil Nadu government plans to establish three residential training centres in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai, to offer free coaching for competitive exams under the “Naan Mudhalvan Scheme.” 1,000 selected candidates will receive six months of quality training with boarding and lodging annually, managed by the TN Skill Development Corporation. Meanwhile, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation is offering free coaching for meritorious but financially disadvantaged students in Class XI from 42 wards, with dedicated batches for Bengali, English, and Hindi medium.

Transformation in the Culture of Coaching

Patna’s Super30 programme, founded by Anand Kumar under the Ramanujan School of Mathematics, has been picking 30 talented, but economically disadvantaged students annually since 2002 to train them for JEE. Emerging from this, the Path Pradarshak Foundation has also made a difference in the coaching landscape of India, by conducting free online classes for the underprivileged youth. Likewise, the Rahmani30 school with over 800 students, has followed suit in providing free coaching in engineering, finance, and medical entrances for poor Muslim youth. With the shift towards online learning spaces, ed-tech platforms like UPSC Wallah and StudyIQ are growing as an affordable alternative to in-person coaching especially for those from smaller towns and poorer families. Traditional coaching institutes like the Khan Study Group (KSG) have begun offering distance learning options, where course materials are also being mailed to students.

While much has been done to democratise the access to coaching services and an opportunity to crack highly competitive entrances, there remains a need to address the increasing pressures on youth that the coaching culture fosters. In Kota, to address rising suicide rates among girls undertaking coaching, the district administration has established 5 special women squads. These squads, consisting of an Administrative Service officer, a sub-inspector, and a doctor, aim to tackle mental health and other issues confidentially, providing a supportive environment and referring girls to medical professionals if needed. While India’s education system needs a deeper reassessment, addressing these challenges comprehensively is crucial to ensure that the current coaching culture supports students' aspirations without compromising their well-being.

Is your city also becoming a coaching hub? Are there any government initiatives or community efforts in your city that are providing free coaching to reduce educational inequalities?