Students, Parents Question Skyrocketing Charges as Government Looks Away
Bazilla Jan
SRINAGAR, DEC 9: With the results of competitive exams like NEET and JEE awaited every year, private coaching institutes across Kashmir go into aggressive marketing mode — flex hoardings, videos, toppers’ posters and tall success claims. But behind the glossy advertisements lies a growing concern: Who monitors their fee structure?
Coaching centres today have become a parallel education industry, with some charging lakhs of rupees per student for medical and engineering entrance courses. Parents say there is no uniform fee policy, no regulatory check and no transparency in selection results these institutes advertise.
“The bigger the publicity, the higher the fee. Coaching centres display photos of a few toppers but never reveal how many students they enrolled in the first place,” said Irfan Ahmad, whose son is preparing for NEET. “If they admitted 1,500 students and only 20 qualified, should they advertise it as success or failure?”
Many students claim they fall prey to marketing and tall promises, only to realise later that success rates are selective and embellished.
‘Students get trapped by flashy claims’
Shazia, a class 12 student from Anantnag, said she joined a coaching centre after seeing posters of previous qualifiers. “Later I discovered that among hundreds enrolled, only a handful cleared NEET. We were never told the full picture,” she said.
Students allege that commercialisation has overshadowed academic responsibility. Some institutes offer different fee slabs based on performance — toppers pay less, average students pay more. “It feels like a business model, not education,” said Arif Rather, a JEE aspirant.
Demands for regulation grow louder
Parents say the administration must fix a rational fee cap, ensure annual audit of results, and enforce transparency in admissions and success claims.
“There must be a fee structure. Coaching cannot become a luxury accessible only to the rich,” said Muhammad Yaseen, a parent from Baramulla. “Lakhs are being charged from students. For many families, it’s a year’s income.”
Political patronage raises questions
Another issue troubling citizens is the growing political patronage coaching institutes enjoy. Photos of local politicians attending inaugurations and annual events have become common.
“Most of the MLAs nowadays are seen as chief guests in functions of private coaching centres. When politics blends with business, regulation takes a back seat,” said a teacher, requesting anonymity. “The government must act. The future of students is at stake.”
What the experts say
Education activists believe the absence of a regulatory framework encourages unrestrained fee hikes and questionable marketing.
Renowned academic Prof. Bashir Ahmad said, “It is time the administration sets policy guidelines — fee structure, teacher qualification norms, result disclosure formats and student grievance mechanisms.”
“When thousands compete for a few seats, hope becomes a product. We can’t let education turn into exploitation,” he added.
Government silent so far
Despite repeated concerns, there is no concrete regulation controlling fee structures of private coaching centres in Jammu & Kashmir. While officials have hinted at drafting guidelines in the past, nothing has taken shape on ground.
Students, teachers and parents are now collectively asking — If coaching is a thriving industry today, why is it functioning without a regulator?
As exam season approaches again, the debate intensifies. Until the government intervenes, students remain at the mercy of institutions deciding what they charge, what they claim — and what they choose not to reveal.
