Maha draft coaching class regulatory bill ready, says Tawde

An experts' committee formed to prepare the draft Maharashtra Private Coaching Classes Regulatory Bill has submitted its report to the government and action had begun on it, state Education Minister Vinod Tawde said today.

Tawde made the statement in response to concerns raised by Assembly members, from both the ruling and opposition parties, over private coaching classes allegedly cheating and looting parents of school students as well as candidates appearing for competitive examinations.

The members of the House also questioned poor attendance of students in schools on whose premises integrated coaching classes were being run.

Tawde said biometric attendance systems would be installed in such schools to combat absenteeism.

"The government had formed a committee under the Commissioner (Education) to prepare draft of the Private Coaching Classes Regulatory Bill on January 4 last year. The committee has submitted its report to the government and action is being taken based on the report," Tawde said on the floor of the House.

While the government plans to bring an act to regulate big private coaching classes, Tawde said it would exclude private tutors who teach 25 to 30 students at the household level.

Responding to concerns raised by some members over the killing of a coaching centre head (Avinash Chavan) last month, allegedly out of business rivalry, the minister said arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

"However, no complaint has been received from coaching class owners in Latur regarding extortion money being sought from them," Tawde added.

The minister also said that the question papers set for Class X examination would carry more subjective queries than objective ones to tackle instances of high scoring by students.

Speaking in the Legislative Council during the Question Hour, Tawde said that the government had restored the standard of Mumbai University which had been plagued with delays in the declaration of exam results of various streams.

He said that, this year, B.Com results had been declared in 27 days, that of Bachelor of Arts in 37 days and of B.Sc in 21 days.

"I appreciate the efforts of Mumbai Vice Chancellor Dr Suhas Pednekar and his team for announcing the results within 27, 37 and 21 days," said Tawde.

"The standard of Mumbai University is back to where it was and its glory will increase further," Tawde told the Council.