Lok Sabha Question No. 2214 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Suicide in Coaching Centres
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Smt. Sajda Ahmed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2214

ANSWERED ON 05/08/2024

## SUICIDE IN COACHING CENTRES

## 2214 SMT. SAJDA AHMED:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the detailed statistics on cases of suicide by aspirants in coaching centres across the country during the last three years State-wise;

(b) the steps taken to address and mitigate the issue of aspirant suicides in coaching centres;

(c) whether the Government has identified and compiled a list of unregulated private coaching centres operating across the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government has issued any advisories or guidelines to State Governments regarding the regulation and oversight of private coaching centres; and

(f) the policies are being implemented to reduce the dependence on coaching centres and to promote a healthier, more balanced education system for students particularly for admission through NEET & JEE ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (Dr. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (f): Comprehensive analysis of the data related to the accidental deaths and suicides in the country is published in the yearly Accidental Death & Suicide in India (ADSI) reports by National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB). Year wise and State wise details of students' suicides are available in the year wise ADSI reports which are accessible at https://ncrb.gov.in/accidental-deaths-suicides-in-india-year-wise.html .

Ministry of Education (MoE), has launched an initiative, Manodarpan, with the aim to provide psychosocial support to students, their families and teachers across the country, for mental health and well-being during the times of COVID-19 and beyond. All activities undertaken under the Manodarpan initiative are aimed towards supporting the metal health and well-being of students from schools, colleges and universities, including those students who are preparing for competitive examinations.

A 'National Tele Mental Health Programme' has been launched in 2022, to improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country. As on 23.07.24, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (MANAS) Cells. More than 11,76,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.

Keeping in view the growth in number of unregulated private coaching centers in the country in the absence of any laid down policy or regulation; instances of such centers charging exorbitant fees from students; undue stress on students resulting in students committing suicides and many other malpractices being adopted by these centres, MoE has circulated a Guidelines for Regulation of Coaching Center to States/UTs on 16.01.2024. Education being in the concurrent list, the State and UT Governments need to take further action by way of appropriate legal framework. This has been followed up with another letter to the States/ UTs on 16.07.2024.

The Guidelines encompasses several key aspects, including defining coaching centers, specifying conditions and necessary documents for registration; outlining infrastructure prerequisites for establishing coaching centers; code of conduct for coaching centers; laying emphasis on significance of mental well-being, advocating for the prioritization of counsellors and psychologists' support within coaching centres; no batch segregation; maintenance of records etc. The guidelines also provides that the fee charged for courses / curriculum shall be fair and reasonable; under no circumstances the fee shall be increased during the currency of the course; easy exit policy and refund of fee on pro-rata basis; coaching classes for those students who are also studying in institutions / schools shall not be conducted during their institutions / schools' hours so that their regular attendance in such institutions / schools remains unaffected and also to avoid dummy schools. The guidelines, further stipulate continuous monitoring of activities of the coaching centers; introducing a complaint mechanism and disposal thereof; penalties; process for cancellation of registration and appeals etc.

National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) recommends for regular formative assessments to foster a deeper understanding of subjects and skills among students, moving away from rote learning and exam-centric preparation. It also aims to alleviate the immense pressure students face from high-stakes exams, thereby nurturing their overall development and critical thinking abilities. Accordingly, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) has been set up for setting standards for student assessment across all school boards in India. It endeavours to align assessment patterns with the evolving demands of the 21 st century.

For higher education, entrance examinations like CUET, JEE, NEET etc. are conducted based on learning level in core subjects studied in Board level examinations. JEE exams are conducted twice a year and student has option to appear in these examinations and the best of two results is considered. CUET, JEE and NEET are available in 13 Indian languages for ease of students' comprehensibility.

SATHEE platform has been launched to provide high-quality content for the competitive examinations like JEE and NEET, along with providing an online assessment module for students. It leverages Web Platform, Mobile Application, YouTube live sessions & DTH channels for delivery. More than 10,000 Hours of Learning Content is available across topics and subjects for the learners. The platform recently hosted a 45-day JEE crash course in 5 languages including English, aimed at providing intensive preparation and revision.