Kota’s Coaching Mafia: Butchering Teens to Death
Amidst a series of recent suicide incidents, the harmful coaching sector in Kota emerges as a pressing concern for the Rajasthan government.
Kota is a district in the state of Rajasthan that is famous for its coaching industry. Unfortunately, the district has recently made headlines due to the increasing number of suicides among young teenagers. In the current month, six suicides have been reported, bringing the total number of suicides in 2023 to 22, the highest since 2015.
Students flock to this place for intense preparations for JEE (Engineering) and NEET-UG (Medical) entrance exams, the pivotal gates to their aspirations. Every year, around 2 lakh students enrol in various courses. Here, students maintain a rigorous study regimen, dedicating a minimum of 10-12 hours per day to their studies. The majority of their time is spent in classes, followed by regular weekend assessments. In some instances, tests occur twice a week. The classrooms accommodate a minimum of 200 students per session, and teachers struggle to provide personalized attention to each individual. As time passes, many students and their parents come to realize the financial strain caused by this pursuit, as well as its impact on their mental well-being.
This exploitative business model has thrived with consistent backing from the administration, fully cognizant of its projected trajectory. Presently, the coaching paradigm has evolved into a 6000-crore industry, complicating the government’s ability to implement reforms or interventions in the student’s best interests.
In an effort to prevent such incidents, the district administration had previously fitted springs in fans. Following the unfortunate demise of two pre-medical students, the Kota collector, along with other committee members, participated in a meeting led by Bhawani Singh Detha. The committee has proposed the following measures to address these tragedies: introducing engaging activities, trimming the syllabus, and utilizing Google Forms for data collection.
It is a textbook example of a lack of empathy towards students to not address the issue of coaches abusing them, especially when they are present at committee meetings.
Instead of inviting a coaching syndicate, the government should have included some students to share their perspectives and ideas. Nevertheless, we will suggest some proposals through this article. Firstly, students in Kota are constantly competing with their peers, which hinders their ability to enjoy any government-introduced recreational activities. Secondly, ghost schools in the area do not provide any physical teaching to students. Lastly, the government should regulate the overcrowded classrooms in coaching centres.
