Rewiring the system: Govt panel to examine coaching culture and entrance exams

Seeking to reform the country’s education ecosystem, the Union Education Ministry has formed a committee headed by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi.

The panel will recommend ways to reduce students’ reliance on private coaching centers and examine the fairness and impact of competitive entrance examinations.

As per a recent government order, the committee will also look into gaps in the existing school education system that push students towards coaching institutes.

These include limited emphasis on critical thinking, logical reasoning, analytical ability, and innovation, along with the dominance of rote learning practices.

The panel includes the chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education, the joint secretary (institutions) from the Department of School Education and Literacy, representatives from IIT Madras, NIT Trichy, IIT Kanpur, and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

In addition, three school principals, one each from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, and a private school to be nominated by the government, will be part of the panel.

A joint secretary from the Higher Education Department will serve as the member secretary.

The order mentions that the committee’s terms of reference include investigating the emergence of “dummy schools” and how they promote full-time coaching at the cost of formal education. It will recommend ways to curb such practices.

The panel will also assess the impact of formative assessments at both school and higher education levels and how their absence affects students’ conceptual understanding and preparedness for competitive exams.

The committee will further analyze the growing demand for quality higher education and the shortage of seats in top institutions, which often pushes students towards coaching centers.

It will evaluate how the lack of awareness about multiple career options among students and parents contributes to the overwhelming preference for a few elite institutes.

Another major area of focus will be to review the effectiveness and equity of entrance tests in the context of school education and their influence on the growth of the coaching industry.

The panel will also examine the marketing practices of coaching centers, including the use of misleading claims and selective success stories, and recommend appropriate regulatory mechanisms.

The committee will also assess the availability and efficiency of career counseling services in schools and colleges and propose steps to strengthen career guidance frameworks nationwide.