Chandigarh: Punjab govt has proposed a regulatory framework for private coaching centres, mandating registration, minimum operating standards, counselling systems and penalties for violations to safeguard students and strengthen mental health support.
The state has prepared draft regulations, titled ‘Regulations on Registration and Students Protection Norms for Private Coaching Centres in Punjab, 2026′. The rules will apply to coaching centres with more than 50 students.
Under the draft, no person will be allowed to establish or run a coaching centre without registration. Existing centres will have to apply for registration within three months of the rules coming into force.
Registration certificates will remain valid for three years, while applications for renewal will have to be submitted at least two months before expiry. The state also proposes to create a dedicated web portal for registration.
Tutors will be required to be graduates. Coaching centres will be barred from making misleading claims or guaranteeing ranks and marks. They will also not be permitted to enrol students below the age of 16 or before they complete their secondary school examinations.
The draft regulations require centres to maintain a website carrying details of tutors’ qualifications, courses offered, duration, hostel facilities, fees, exit and refund policies, enrolment and the number of students who subsequently secured admission to higher education institutions. Online coaching platforms will also have to register and comply with data privacy laws.
Centres will have to use only the term “registered coaching centre” and cannot describe themselves as “recognised” or “approved”. They will also be barred from holding classes for school-going children during school hours.
The proposal states that fees must be reasonable and receipts issued for all payments. Students who leave a course midway after paying the full fee will be entitled to a pro-rata refund for the unexpired period within 10 days, including hostel and mess charges. Fees cannot be increased during the duration of a course.
The regulations prescribe a minimum area of one square metre per student during classes and mandate compliance with fire and building safety norms. Centres will also have to provide first-aid facilities, safe drinking water, adequate ventilation and lighting, separate toilets for male and female students, and appropriate security arrangements.
Residential coaching centres will have to install tamper-proof ceiling fans or equivalent safety devices and restrict access to rooftops, balconies and other high-risk areas to deter impulsive acts of self-harm.
Every coaching centre will be required to constitute an internal complaints committee to deal with complaints of harassment, bullying and discrimination in a confidential and time-bound manner. Complaints will have to be disposed of within 15 days.
The regulations also seek to reduce academic pressure by capping coaching hours at five hours a day and requiring weekly offs for students and tutors. Centres will be expected to align their pedagogy with the National Education Policy, 2020, and focus on conceptual understanding.
To address mental health concerns, centres will have to engage counsellors and psychologists, establish mechanisms to identify students in distress and tie up with local mental health professionals or govt hospitals. They will also have to prominently display mental health and suicide prevention helpline numbers.
The draft bars discrimination on grounds such as religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth and proposes special measures to encourage participation of students from vulnerable and marginalised communities, including students with disabilities.
Centres will also have to submit monthly mental health reports to district-level monitoring committees, detailing wellness interventions, referrals, training sessions and other mental health-related activities.
Violations will attract a penalty of Rs 25,000 for the first offence and Rs 1 lakh for the second. Repeated violations may result in cancellation of registration after the centre is given an opportunity to present its case.
