HRD in fix over body to control coaching centres

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is in a fix to implement the suggestions of the Ashok Misra committee report, which recommends revamping the education system and discouraging ‘coaching culture’ prevalent in the country.

Given that the Ministry had admitted before the Supreme Court that it is not responsible for “regulating or controlling” unrecognised private entrance coaching centres, the constitution of a regulatory body to control such institutes would not be a possibility. 

Sources said: “The constitution of a regulatory body to control coaching intuitions will violate the right of liberty to trade and business. So, the Ministry would prefer not to get into a legal tangle.”

The source added the Ministry would rather focus on strengthening school education to make students eligible to crack entrance exams for IITs, NITs and state engineering colleges.

The report suggests setting up of a regulatory body for coaching centres, which would guide students appearing for IIT-JEE. The Misra panel report has proposed that an “All-India Council for Coaching for Entrance Examinations (AICCEE) may be established with a demand that coaching institutes are well-equipped, maintain healthy and best practices as well as charge regulated fee.”