‘Access to affordable coaching is an issue’

Why do we need coaching centres? Because there is a great gap between the level of education imparted in schools and the level required to crack a competitive exam. Government-sponsored education cannot fill this gaping hole today. The central and state governments have to take responsibility for this—they must conduct teacher training programmes and improve standards of education, so that future generations of students from marginalised backgrounds don’t have to seek coaching.

Until then, Super 30 is making an effort to bridge the divide. Since it was established, more educational programmes like ours have emerged elsewhere, benefitting many more students.

But access to affordable coaching centres is still an issue, and the support of the media and government is crucial in ensuring that parents are aware that there are alternatives which are not too expensive or commercialised.

As for reform in education, digitised entrance exams have made life difficult for rural children, simply because they don’t have comparable computer skills to students from the cities. We need to have both digital- and paper-based exams so that there is parity in opportunity. Schools should also have a separate syllabus which caters to the needs

of meritorious students, addressing how they can fulfill their potential without private coaching.

We also need teaching methodologies under which students are made to understand the how and why of things, rather than focusing on rote learning. If they understand what they are learning, they will naturally become interested in subjects like mathematics, physics and chemistry and will be inclined to self-study.

Finally, parents shouldn’t put pressure on children to be doctors and engineers. Some may be inclined to be journalists, others might want to be actors. Coaching centres take undue advantage of these expectations. They know when a student does not have the potential or interest in a field, but they still enrol them to get the fees. The student, unable to cope with the material and competition, becomes depressed and is sometimes pushed into taking drastic steps.

COACHING CENTRES ARE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE GREAT GAP BETWEEN EDUCATION IMPARTED IN SCHOOLS AND THE LEVELS REQUIRED TO CRACK COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS