After the tragic death of three IAS aspirants by drowning in the basement of Rau’s IAS study centre in Old Rajinder Nagar area, the Delhi Government is planning to relocate coaching centres in Narela and Rohini and develop it as an education hub.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has formed a high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary to address issues related to the regulation of coaching centres. The committee will prepare an action plan for shifting coaching institutes from various places to well-planned areas.
Amid the IAS aspirants’ protest for fourth day in a row against civic authorities and ‘coaching mafia’ near the Rau’s coaching centre, braving scorching heat with their Mains exams less than one and a half months away, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Additional Commissioner Tariq Thomas on Wednesday admitted the civic body’s responsibility in the death of three students, stating that there are serious structural issues, which need to be addressed.
Interacting with the protesting students at UPSC coaching hub in old Rajinder Nagar, the senior civic body official said there can be no excuses for the incident and the agency should have done its duty better.
Students who started their indefinite hunger strike on Tuesday ended it on Wednesday morning after their meeting with Thomas.
Saxena has directed the Delhi Police Commissioner for cracking down on coaching institutes which take exorbitant rentals in cash transactions to evade tax.
Besides, the Lieutenant Governor has directed that a portal be established, with Aadhar based log-in credentials of all coaching institutes in the city and the enrolled students. This would help create a transparent database which would help the Government in shaping the policy framework from time to time.
“The committee will comprise five to six representatives of coaching institutes, students and officials of the departments concerned. This committee will comprehensively address all the issues related to regulation, exorbitant rental by landlords, fire clearances, desilting of drains and other immediate needs of the students to create a conducive educational environment fulfilling all parameters. The Committee shall prepare long term and short term action plan for gradually shifting the coaching institutes from various locations to a well planned area,” said Ashish Kundra, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor.
The Chief Secretary shall take up the matter of formulation of guidelines/regulatory framework for coaching institutions/tuition classes, in line with the guidelines framed by the Education Ministry, in the larger interest of students. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) will facilitate site visits for representatives of coaching institutions at identified locations in Narela and Rohini, as a first step for establishment of an education hub that would accommodate all coaching institutions. Any coaching institute running library or teaching facility in the basement would be sealed immediately. It was agreed that as a short term measure, the institutes, especially the larger ones would assist the students by providing them spaces as reading rooms on other floors of their buildings.
According to Raj Niwas, the federation of coaching institutes agreed to offer a fair compensation to the bereaved families of the three deceased students. They also offered to give a discount in the fee in the current academic session to enrolled students who have suffered mental agony and disruption in studies.
The Raj Niwas officials said the panel will comprehensively address all issues related to regulation, exorbitant rentals, fire clearances, desilting of drains and other immediate needs of students. “Commissioner MCD may convene a meeting of the Fire department to clarify the regulatory framework of fire clearances and building by-laws. Police Commissioner to also ensure sensitization program for all beat constables, local SHOs, so as to provide sympathetic and proactive support to the students as and when required,” they said.
At the meeting student representatives shared their plight arising out of the stranglehold of property brokers, who overcharged rentals. They highlighted the prevalence of a cash economy in settling the rentals and other payments. They also highlighted that institutions that taught ethics as a subject, were themselves guilty of unethical practices. Even electricity tariff being charged by landlords was as high as Rs 24 per unit, which was well beyond residential tariffs. Cramped accommodation and teaching facilities were handed down even in the face of exorbitant fee being charged. They also raised the issue of non-existence of any Grievance Redressal Mechanism for students and lack of basic facilities within the coaching institutes and the difficulty in securing refunds.
According to officials during the open exchange, different stakeholders brought out their own perspectives and suggestions for an enduring solution to the problem, in the short as well as long term.
“At one level, the absence of regulatory clarity was highlighted, with multiple agencies being responsible for different activities. Diverse sets of rules under various agencies have created layers of compliances. The need for clarity in relation to fire safety norms was also underscored. Absence of civic infrastructure- especially drainage was highlighted,” officials added.
