Key Points

The bill says that registration of coaching centres can be cancelled for arbitrary fee collection, and also allows a fine for coaching institutions from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 Lakh for rule violations. Deputy Chief Minister Premchand Bairwa said that this bill will ensure accountability of coaching centres and protect the interests of students. According to its provisions, no coaching institute will be allowed to charge lump sum fees in advance. Tuition and hostel fees will have to be refunded if a student discontinues studies midway. Coaching institutes with more than 100 students will be required to get registered with the district committee, which will have powers similar to a civil court.

The bill also provides strict penalties for violations. A fine of Rs 50,000 will be imposed for the first offence and Rs 2 lakh for the second. In cases of arbitrary fee collection or repeated violations, the institute’s registration can be cancelled and even its land and property confiscated.

To address student grievances, 24-hour call centres will be set up in every district, and a committee headed by the Collector, with SP, CMHO, education officers, and ADM as members, will monitor coaching centres and handle complaints. At the state level, a Rajasthan Coaching Centre Authority will also be formed under the Higher Education Secretary, with officials from various departments, representatives of coaching institutes, parents, and psychologists as members, said Bairwa.

The opposition, however, criticised the bill sharply. Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully questioned why there is no provision to stop coaching of children below 16 years and accused the government of reducing penalties to benefit the coaching industry instead of addressing the rising incidents of student suicides. Independent MLA Ravindra Singh Bhati said there is “loot in the name of fees” and alleged that the bill has no effective mechanism to control fee structures. He also pointed out that no public representatives have been included in the committees, which will lead to bureaucratic dominance.

Congress MLA Harish Chaudhary went further, saying that while everyone is protecting Kota’s multi-crore coaching industry, no one is honestly telling children that they are ruining their lives under pressure, and stressed that radical reforms are needed to truly safeguard students. Chaudhary added that this bill will not bring justice to Rajasthan, but only to influential people. He alleged that everyone is busy protecting the coaching industry worth Rs 12,500 to Rs 25,000 crore, while the state itself is being neglected. “Save this Rajasthan. When history is written, we will all be counted among those who destroyed it,” he warned.

Former minister and senior Congress MLA Shanti Dhariwal also raised concerns, saying that the bill would only increase bureaucracy. He pointed out that the regulation committees at the district and state levels are dominated by officers, which will promote bureaucratic control rather than accountability. Dhariwal further argued that the bill does not provide any clear mechanism to prevent student suicides, which is the core issue behind the regulation demand. He said the stated purpose of protecting children’s lives is not being fulfilled through the provisions of this bill.

However, the government maintained that the new law will regulate coaching centres, prevent exploitation, and bring justice to students of Rajasthan. With Kota being the hub of the country’s coaching industry and growing concerns over pressure and suicides, the passage of this bill has become a significant development in the state.

- IANS