A policy to regulate coaching centres (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 2: Health and Education
Prelims level : Not much
Mains level : Purpose do coaching institutions serve in society

Context

•  In May, a deadly fire at a coaching centre in Surat snuffed out 22 young lives.
•  The rate of suicides in Kota, where many students converge to prepare for entrance exams, remains high. And yet, the coaching industry is rapidly growing.
•  Data from the National Sample Survey Office’s 71st round reveal that more than a quarter of Indian students (a stupendous 7.1 crore) take private coaching.
•  Around 12% of a family’s expenses go towards private coaching, across rich and poor families alike.

Unregulated spaces

Why must anything be regulated?

• Economic theories suggest that when markets fail, governments need to be brought in. Market failure may occur because of the presence of externalities or asymmetry in information.
•  Governments are also important because they act to coordinate moral norms. On all these counts, coaching institutions emerge as the proverbial villains.
•  Hidden behind legislations meant for tiny shops (Shops and Establishment Act) as ‘other’ business, they run an empire of evening incarcerations that arrest creative freedom.
•  The big ones draw an entire generation of young minds and systematically erode their imagination.
•  They ignite psychological disorders in students, undermine mainstream education, impose huge opportunity costs to students, charge an exorbitant fee which is often untaxed, and yet remain unaccountable (several court cases on breach of promise of refund are underway).
•  This paints a picture of coaching centres as market bullies.
•  The social costs are exacerbated by the absolute disregard for the well being of students, who are shoved into tiny rooms with little ventilation, let alone a fire exit.
•  Society bears the burden — only for the sake of finding out who is marginally better than the other in cramming for some exam.

Why do people start coaching institutions?

•  Barring a few exceptions, coaching institutions sell a valueless but costly idea.
•  Only those enterprises which have no value themselves play with the law.
•  To blame the systemic flaws in the implementation of safety laws and to blame corruption in the government is to normalise the lack of integrity in the entrepreneur who decided to violate the law.
•  To harp on lapses by the government is to turn a blind eye towards what kind of ethics we are drawing out of our enterprises, particularly those which purport to provide ‘education’.
•  Coaching institutions, of course, are not necessarily ethical entities. Most of them do not add to the value of education.

Conclusion

•  We must recognise that a bad law is worse than no law.

•  While the discourse being triggered is a welcome step, it is now important to ensure regulations that emerge are agile, forward-looking and empowering.

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  General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) The term 'Project 75I' sometimes mentioned in the news, is related to:
(a) Engagement with Central Asian Countries for mineral exploration through joint partnerships.
(b) Program to mark 75th year of Indian independence in 2022.
(c) Acquisition of diesel-electric submarines by Indian Navy.
(d) Creation of a specialised force to fight against 75 Left Wing Extremism affected districts.

Answer: C
Mains Questions:
Q.1) What purpose do coaching institutions serve in society? Do they enhance human capital? Comment.