Rajasthan tables bill to regulate coaching centres amid spike in students' suicides in Kota

This year, eight students have died by suicide in Kota, and in the last year, the figure was 26.

The bill aims to set up an authority comprising 12 members to regulate coaching institutes.

It also envisages the formation of committees in every district to monitor coaching centres to provide counselling for students to reduce stress, remedial classes for those lagging behind and setting up recreational activities.

Assessments will not be held on a day the week begins, and exam results will be kept confidential.

The duration of classes will also be cut down - five hours will be the maximum.

The bill also makes it easy to get a fee refund if the student decides to drop out halfway through the course.

The bill, though, has omitted two key provisions that have considerably weakened it.

Mental health experts suggest that there be an age limit for children who undertake coaching. Children are as young as 14 and 15 are also taken out of school and put through the gruelling system by ambitious parents.

It was expected that the bill would set a cut-off age of at least 16 years. But there is no mention of this in the version that was tabled.