- By Sarju Saran Tiwari
- Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:16 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Amid rising student suicides due to stress, a parliamentary panel, headed by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi has decided to take a closer look at how coaching centres are expanding across the country and how this is affecting students who prepare for competitive exams. The move comes at a time when concerns are rising over student suicides linked to academic pressure.
The standing committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports will study not only the rapid growth of coaching hubs but also the social challenges connected to them. The committee will also assess how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other new technologies are shaping learning and student life.
Review Of Coaching Centres & Student Stress:
A recent Lok Sabha bulletin outlined the committee’s agenda for 2025–26, which includes a review of the PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme. As part of its mandate, the panel will evaluate the spread of coaching institutions, the pressures they create, and whether current regulations are adequate.
There have been cases of students enrolled in coaching institutes ending their lives in recent years due to study pressure, with several cases reported in Rajasthan’s Kota city alone, which is known as the “coaching capital of India”.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Education (MoE) formed a 9 member committee to study issues surrounding coaching culture, the rise of "dummy schools," and the broader impact of entrance exams on school education.
This parlimentary committee is examining whether competitive exams are being conducted fairly and how deeply they influence the coaching sector. It is also looking at the relationship between the school system and the parallel preparation ecosystem that many students rely on.
During the year, the parliamentary panel will also examine the “current practices and policies” regarding school closure.
Parliamentary Panel to Review Education Reform and Minority Education:
According to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the committee will also review the functioning and performance of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
NCERT has also made efforts to promote education for linguistic and religious minorities.
The panel will also seek details about the Education Ministry's "efforts" to establish the Higher Education Council of India (HECI). A bill to create a higher education regulator, which will replace existing bodies like the UGC, is scheduled to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament beginning December 1.
The HECI, proposed in the new National Education Policy, aims to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
While the UGC oversees non-technical higher education, the AICTE oversees technical education, and the NCTE is the regulatory body for teacher education.
The parliamentary panel will also review the study of Indological academic traditions and their impact on the existing education system.