Now Reading: Maharashtra drafts law to regulate private coaching centres after NEET leak
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Maharashtra drafts law to regulate private coaching centres after NEET leak
Maharashtra drafts law to regulate private coaching centres after NEET leak
Maharashtra has published the draft Maharashtra Private Coaching Centres (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2026, aiming to rein in coaching centres after the NEET-UG paper leak in May. The bill proposes mandatory registration with a minimum of 25 students per centre, bans school-coaching integrations, caps fees, requires refunds within 10 days, and mandates safety measures such as CCTV, fire certificates, and counsellor access. Teaching hours are capped at five per day, and centres cannot admit students under 13.
A private coaching institute union representing 50,000 classes has called the bill 'oppressive' and 'unrealistic', citing Rs 1, 5 lakh fines for vaguely defined minor violations and unrealistic requirements for home-tuition teachers. The state is the fifth to regulate coaching centres, following Haryana, Rajasthan, Assam, and Jharkhand. The School Education and Sports Department has invited public suggestions and objections until September 4, after which the bill will be finalised.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The draft bill’s framing differs sharply by outlet. India TV News leads with the government’s formal process, publication and invitation for objections, presenting the law as a straightforward regulatory measure. The Hindu, by contrast, foregrounds the NEET paper leak context and the consortium’s protest, and gives substantial space to the private coaching union’s criticism, calling the bill 'oppressive' and 'unrealistic'. India TV News omits the union’s objections entirely, while The Hindu reports them in detail. A balanced reading treats the bill as a response to genuine student-safety and fee concerns, prompted by the NEET scandal, but acknowledges that its one-size-fits-all clauses, such as fines of Rs 1, 5 lakh for vaguely defined minor violations and mandatory registration with a 25-student minimum, risk harming small home-tuition teachers. The public objection window closes on September 4.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): indiatvnews.com (neutral report), thehindu.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
