Karnataka: 3 months after order, only 12 coaching centres register

Only 12 coaching centres offering training for various competitive exams have registered with the government, three months after authorities issued a directive for registration.

The department of collegiate education has identified 112 unregistered coaching centres in the state. But despite the notice, only 12 have registered.

“We will issue another notice before initiating action,” said a senior official of the department.

According to sources from the department, the fee fixed for the registration and the number of conditions to be met for the registration were holding back institutions from voluntary registration.

“Established institutions have no issue with paying the fee of Rs 25,000. But there are some small centres with less number of students which are reluctant,” said an official from the department.

The official said it is difficult for small centres to fulfil some of the conditions put for registration.

“Well-known centres can maintain registers, accounts and other things. But such norms are not followed at small institutes,” the official said.

In January this year, the department asked the coaching centres to register under Karnataka Education Act, to ensure quality. Though there was an order from the department mandating registration of coaching centres in 2006, the same was not followed. Hence, the department issued a fresh order in January this year.

Data provided by the department itself is suspicious. “In Bengaluru alone, there are 1,000 plus active coaching institutions. But the department data shows only 112 in the state. We urge the department officials to conduct a survey of coaching centres before issuing notices,” said a management representative of one of the top coaching centres in Bengaluru, which trains students for IAS and other exams.