Andhra Pradesh has introduced draft rules to regulate coaching centers, establishing a five-hour daily cap on classes, mandating weekly offs, and requiring institutes to establish wellness cells. District-level monitoring committees (DLMC) will now wield significant enforcement powers, including the authority to cancel registrations and conduct surprise inspections. These rules, released for public suggestion, aim to enhance student protection and create a more supportive learning environment.
District Panels Given Civil Court Powers
District collectors will chair DLMCs, which will include police superintendents and education officials. These committees are empowered to initiate investigations independently, based on media reports or statistical anomalies. The rules grant DLMCs the powers of a civil court, allowing them to summon records and individuals connected to coaching institutions. They can also inspect hostels used by students, even if managed by third parties.
New Student Protection Measures
Coaching centers can no longer display student ranks or names publicly. All assessment results must be communicated privately to students and their parents. Classes are prohibited during regular school or college hours. Students enrolled in formal institutions cannot attend coaching during these times.
Institutes must maintain confidential records of student mental health. Any breach of confidentiality by staff will lead to disciplinary action. Each coaching center must establish a ‘Wellness Cell’ and submit anonymized monthly wellness reports and annual mental health audit reports to the DLMC.
Financial Safeguards and Penalties
Tuition and hostel fees must be clearly stated in prospectuses and on websites. Students withdrawing mid-course are entitled to pro-rata fee refunds within 10 days. Original academic certificates cannot be withheld to force fee collection.
Violations can result in fines ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹1,00,000. The registration of an institute will be cancelled if institutional negligence is established in the event of a student suicide. Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) will be mandatory for handling grievances in a timely and confidential manner.
Expanded Regulation Scope
The draft rules define a coaching institution as any entity enrolling more than 30 students daily for academic support or competitive exam preparation. This definition includes junior colleges that offer integrated coaching. Proprietors must maintain daily updated records, accessible upon demand by authorities.
Individuals convicted of offenses involving moral turpitude, including those under the POCSO Act or NDPS Act, are ineligible to operate coaching institutions. Prior proprietors whose institutes had registrations cancelled for severe safety violations within the last five years are also disqualified.
Infrastructure and Registration Requirements
Coaching centers must maintain a student-teacher ratio set by accrediting bodies. A minimum carpet area of one square meter per student per class is required. Existing institutions have three months from the notification date to apply for registration. Failure to register will result in closure and penalties.
Registration certificates will be valid only for specified premises. Websites must display tutor qualifications, classroom carpet area, success rates for the past three years, and fee structures. These rules differ from previous central guidelines and Rajasthan’s law by including integrated junior colleges and decentralizing enforcement to district committees.