Inside Karnataka's fight against illegal tuition centres

Karnataka’s Department of School Education and Literacy has announced plans to clamp down on illegal tuition centres that have been drawing students away from regular school.

Complaints have emerged that many students are skipping their classes to attend unauthorised coaching classes, particularly in the northern districts of the state.

Officials have noted that these illegal centres often focus on coaching students for entrance into class 6 at well-known government-run residential schools. Students regularly attend these centres, only returning to their regular schools to sit for exams, disrupting their education.

Fees surpasses Rs 50,000 annually

A private school owner in Vijayapura revealed that annual fees at these tutorial centres range from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000, further exposing the commercial nature of these unregistered institutions.

In response, the Department of School Education and Literacy has issued a circular instructing Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPIs) across districts to identify and report such unauthorised centres.

The crackdown is expected to target the widespread issue, with particular attention given to reports from Vijayanagar district, where several primary and high school students have been found attending these centres.

The department’s notice, dated November 26, said that any unregistered coaching centres will face action under the provisions of the Education Act, sending a clear message to those operating outside legal boundaries.

(With inputs from ToI)