Delhi government to bring law to regulate coaching centres: Atishi

New Delhi, July 31

The Delhi government will bring a law to regulate coaching centres in the national capital, cabinet minister Atishi said on Wednesday, days after three IAS aspirants drowned in the flooded basement of an institute in Old Rajinder Nagar.

Addressing a press conference, the minister said the government would constitute a committee comprising government officials and students from different coaching hubs to frame the law.

"Just like private schools and private hospitals/nursing homes are regulated by law with established guidelines for infrastructure, have regular inspections, and are given recognition by the government, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government will introduce a law to regulate all coaching institutes in the city, whether they are preparing students for IAS, IIT, NEET, CUET, NDA or any other exam," Atishi said.

The minister said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), in the last three days, has cracked down on coaching centres using basements in violation of laws but long-term solutions are needed to resolve the issue.

The Delhi government will bring a coaching institutes regulation act as a long-term solution, she added.

"Just as schools and nursing homes are given infrastructure requirements, the coaching institute regulation act will specify infrastructure requirement and qualifications of teachers," Atishi said.

Additionally, this act will regulate the fees charged by these coaching centres and prevent them from promoting misleading advertisements, she added.

The AAP leader said the process through which coaching institutes will be regulated will not be a one-time process but regular inspections of these centres will be done.

"We will form a committee today to bring this act. Besides the officers of the Delhi government, the committee will also include students from coaching hubs of different parts of Delhi, be it Rajinder Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Laxmi Nagar. Students, who are preparing for different exams -- IAS, CA, NEET -- will also be included in this committee," she said.

Atishi also announced an e-mail ID -- coaching.law.feedback@gmail.com -- to seek public feedback on this act.

"We will also publicise the e-mail address through newspapers and FM radio. I appeal to people of Delhi, especially the students to give their feedback.

"This act will have regulations according to the requirements of the students studying in coaching institutes. We believe that only such a law will provide a long-term solution to this type of illegality and irregularity that is going on in the coaching industry," Atishi said.

Talking about the action initiated by the MCD following the tragedy, the minister said the civic body has terminated the service of a junior engineer and suspended an assistant engineer of the area based on the preliminary inquiry into the incident.

"The report of the magisterial probe ordered into the incident will come in six days and strict action will follow. Whether senior or junior officials, nobody will be spared, she said.

Atishi said 30 basements of coaching centres in Rajinder Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Preet Vihar have been sealed, while notices have been issued to 200 other coaching centres in Delhi.

The probe will also ascertain which officer ignored a complaint sent to the MCD by an IAS aspirant about the illegal use of the basement at Rau's IAS Study Circle, where the three students died, she said.

The magisterial inquiry will ascertain which officer was in charge of the grievances portal where the complaint was uploaded and how it was ignored, she added.

The minister also stressed on the need to initiate criminal action against the owners of coaching institutes rather than holding meetings with them.

A civil services aspirant from Gwalior had on Monday claimed that he had complained to the MCD about the illegal use of the basement by the institute and sent reminders on July 15 and 22 but no action was taken.