While lack of time and unsatisfactory classroom education are cited as reasons by many parents opting to put their kids into coaching institutes, there are also others who want to groom their kids “early for the competitive world that lies ahead” and coaching centres cash in.
“To get into IITs and NITs, students need technical and mathematical prowess. Not all parents can provide the required guidance at home. Moreover, the syllabus for classes XI and XII is vast. While preparing for the Board exams, which include projects and practical exams, it is difficult for most students to prepare for these competitive exams within two years. Foundation courses give them a strong base to start with and are important. Otherwise, students may have to drop a year for preparation,” Vijay Laxmi, a parent of a class V student, said. She said her daughter is currently taught by a private tutor and she had planned to enrol her for foundation courses next year.
Parents also claimed the classroom teaching was not enough to build a strong foundation. “Students need to master time management while writing these competitive exams. This requires a strong foundation, which is not possible without continuous practise. Most working parents don’t get enough time to guide their kids at home. I am afraid that the new guidelines may leave my child unprepared,” Suparna Datta, a mother of a class VII student and a corporate communication professional, said.
Rajesh Kalra, father of Rishi (17) who secured the third spot in JEE (Advanced) from IIT Roorkee zone in 2023, however, said it was not impossible to prepare for the engineering entrance exam at home till class 10. “But to excel in the exam, one of the toughest in the country, foundation courses under good teachers and guidance are necessary. One can prepare through online materials, but it might not be effective for everyone,” he said.
Rishi, he added, started preparing for the exam early. “He was 14 when we enrolled him for a foundation course at a private coaching institution,” said his father.
A few parents also argued that coaching classes were eating up family and playtime. “Along with the academic curriculum, students should get enough time for extracurricular activities. With this move, schools are expected to put more focus on learning modules. And students hopefully will get more time to interact with their peers after school hours,” Manish Gupta, father of a class IX student, said.
Sarita, a homemaker, said their modest earnings do not allow them to keep private or home tutors for their kids who study in classes V & VII at a government school. “My husband works as a security guard. We want the schools to focus on each child’s development and learning. This will eliminate the need for private tutors, who often charge a lot of money,” she said.
Vijay Girdhar, a mathematics teacher at Allen Institute in Pune, said there should not be any age restriction as it could limit access to education for motivated students. “They may emphasise the importance of evaluating students based on their ability to handle the coursework, rather than their age, fostering an inclusive learning environment,” Girdhar said.
Guidelines issued by the education ministry also bar coaching centres from making misleading promises regarding rank or marks in competitive exams.
It makes prior registration mandatory for coaching centres while those already running need to register afresh within three months from the date of implementation.
The guidelines also say that coaching institutes must return the fees of students who cannot complete a course they had enrolled for. But coaching centre owners claim refund could be a complex process.
“We have several students enrolled for our foundational courses that are mostly offered in packages, like classes VI to VIII, or VII to IX among others. If in the middle of the academic curriculum, we stop the classes it will not only create a gap in their studies but may also be chaotic in terms of refund,” officials of a popular coaching institute in Noida said.
Ravi Choudhary, the founder of Flipped Academy in Indirapuram, said younger kids need as much education support as the ones above 16 years, in fact, more. “Nowadays, both parents are working, and they don’t get enough time to help their children academically. In such an arrangement, it is important that someone can guide their children. In most schools, which have over 30 to 40 children in one class, teachers can’t give individual attention to each child,” he said.