State govt plans legislation to regulate coaching classes

Private coaching classes may have to follow ee structures, hold parent teacher interactions, select better places and infrastructure for classrooms, and ensure quality teaching staff.The state government will introduce legislation to regulate coaching classes being run without proper registration and regulations.

Legislators expressed concern in the state assembly on Wednesday over hefty ees being charged by private trainers, by promising attractive gains, such as tieups with other classes and colleges, and 100% marks.

Education minister Vinod Tawde said the state had started working out the legalities to regulate the classes. “Besides controlling fees and quality of education, we will ensure they do not cheat students by releasing attractive advertisements assuring admission and placements,“ Tawde said, point ng out that some offered admissions to colleges through private tie-ups.

Sardar Tarasingh (BJP) raised the issue through a calling attention motion.“There is no law to control these classes, as there are cases of students and parents being cheated. We will consult the advocate-general and we have discussed regulations with the state legal department,“ Tawde said.

Opposition leaders Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Prithviraj Chavan argued that the business was uncontrolled, as they did not pay income-tax nor did they have registration or licence. They objected to advertisements by these classes assuring 100% marks in exams.

While coaching classes feel there is a need for checks, they fear interference, hindering quality .“There are fly-by-night coaching classes which take money but do not deliver.  There is a need to bring in checks, for they must be minimal and non-interfering, or it may ruin the competency of the sector. Another concern would be to ensure that corruption is kept at bay ,“ said Praveen Tyagi, founder of the coaching institute, IITians Pace.

School principals also said there was an urgent need for regulation. “More than fees, there is a need to check the quality of teachers at these institutes. At places, there is one person teaching multiple subjects.  This is not what students must get for paying lakhs of rupees,“ said the principal of South Mumbai school.

House clears fee regulation bill

The state legislative assembly on Wednesday cleared three important bills, including one on fee regulation in private unaided institutions running professional courses. The fee regulation bill will ensure against overcharging of fees. Similarly, a bill to waive property tax for Mumbaikars living in flats admeasuring 500 sq ft or less for five years was also passed by the assembly. But legislators such as Chhagan Bhujbal, Parag Alawani, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Naseem KHan and Ashish Shelar demanded that the waiver should be permanent. A bill that will facilitate industries in setting up godowns and storage facilities with minimum red tape, period and expenses was also passed. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis claimed that an ordinance to reduce permission and grant concessions to industries had brought down Mumbai's ease-of-business index from 142 to 122.­Chittaranjan Tembhekar

Source | Times of India | 23 July 2015