Surat tragedy: PIL in SC seeks regularisation of private coaching institutes

The regularisation of private institutes and aspects such as basic facilities, fees and safety measures would have to be in consonance with the guidelines.
Smoke billows from the Taxshila Complex after a fire engulfed the third and fourth floor of the coaching centre in Surat Friday May 24 2019. (Photo | PTI)
Smoke billows from the Taxshila Complex after a fire engulfed the third and fourth floor of the coaching centre in Surat Friday May 24 2019. (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Days after the Surat fire tragedy in which 22 students lost their lives, a PIL has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking regularisation of private coaching institutes.

The petition, been filed by a Delhi-based lawyer, Pawan Prakash Pathak, has also sought directions to the Centre to frame guidelines for safety measures to be adopted by such institutes.

The petition stated that there should be a scheme for private coaching institutes as well as minimum standards for operation and accused these centres of running a parallel education system in the country.

“These institutes largely remain unregularised and are not governed by any rules or statutes,” the plea stated.

The regularisation of private institutes and aspects such as basic facilities, fees and safety measures would have to be in consonance with the guidelines. The petition also cited an ASSOCHAM study which states that close to 87 per cent of primary schoolchildren and up to 95 per cent of higher secondary students attend private coaching classes.

Meanwhile, Haryana plans to undertake a mammoth exercise to inspect coaching centres, schools, colleges, hotels, cinema halls and other commercial buildings to avert a Surat-like fire tragedy. Auditoriums, hostels and multi-storey buildings will be inspected within 30 days when the exercise is undertaken next week.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com