Maharashtra Draft Coaching Class Law Gets Over 15,000 Suggestions; Age, Student Intake Limits Face Opposition

Mumbai: More than 15,000 suggestions and objections were submitted to the Maharashtra government over its proposed law to regulate private coaching centres before the extended deadline ended on September 15, according to representatives of coaching-class associations.

Coaching centres raise concerns

The Maharashtra Private Coaching Centres (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2026, proposes several restrictions governing admissions, classroom capacity, infrastructure, fees and working hours. Among its most debated provisions are a ban on admitting children below the age of 13 and limits on the number of students who can be accommodated in a classroom.

Under the proposed norms, coaching centres would have to provide at least one square metre of space for every student. This would effectively determine the maximum number of students permitted in a classroom based on its available area. Coaching-class operators have demanded that the requirement be reduced to 0.5 square metres per student, arguing that the existing proposal would substantially reduce admissions and make smaller centres financially unviable.

The draft also proposes compulsory registration for coaching centres enrolling 25 or more students. However, operators have demanded that registration be made mandatory only for institutes with more than 100 students. They have also sought separate regulatory categories for small, medium and large coaching centres instead of imposing identical requirements on all institutes.

Debate over proposed restrictions

The proposed prohibition on enrolling children below 13 has also faced opposition. Coaching-class associations have argued that parents should be allowed to decide whether their children require supplementary tuition and that a blanket age-based restriction may affect students who need academic support.

Other provisions include a five-hour daily limit on coaching, mandatory weekly holidays, minimum qualifications for teachers, fee-refund requirements, counselling facilities, safety measures and maintenance of student records.

Bandopant Bhuyar, state head of a coaching-class organisation and a member of the panel set up to draft the regulations in 2018, said, "Operators are willing to cooperate with the government but wanted several conditions diluted. The association has also opposed the requirement to retain records for 10 years, demanding that the period be reduced to three years."

Possible legal action

Operators have warned that they may launch a statewide democratic agitation and approach the courts if their objections are not considered while finalising the legislation.

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While the officials have maintained that all the suggestions and objections will be looked into, a senior official said, "The deadline will not be extended further. On the basis of the suggestions and objections received, we will hold hearings at the divisional level and go ahead with the procedure."

Reactions from coaching operators

Prajesh Trotsky, former head of Maharashtra state class owners association:

"The space restrictions seem unreasonable to us. Classes are operated in houses and informal settlements as well. The restriction on the space could be difficult to adhere to, so the differentiation should be done."

Bandopant Bhuyar, spokesperson of State Consortium of Coaching Teachers and Institutes (SCCTI):

"The bill should categorise the classes based on the number of students they take and the scale of their operations. There is a limit to 25 students; it does not clarify whether it takes 25 in a batch or overall."

Santosh Vaskar, a class owner:

"If students younger than 13 years need extra help and special attention, they won't be able to get it if there is a restriction age limit. It should be left up to the parents to decide whether they want to send their kids or not."

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