India’s coaching centres come under mental-health regulation: What changed & why it matters
Noida administration is enforcing stricter rules for coaching centres. Student well-being is now a top priority. Institutions must ensure disciplined environments and adequate facilities. Trained counselors will be mandatory. CCTV cameras are required in all centres. This move follows national concerns about academic pressure and student suicides. Compliance is expected within 15 days.
Mental health has moved from the margins to the rulebook of education governance. In Noida, the district administration has ordered stricter oversight of coaching centres, placing student well-being at the centre of regulatory enforcement.
The move follows growing reports of academic stress among students across universities, colleges, coaching institutes and hostels, officials said.According to TNN, district magistrate Medha Roopam has directed all educational institutions to maintain disciplined environments, regulated schedules and adequate facilities to reduce stress and safeguard students’ well-being. Reviewing institutional preparedness, the DM said that compliance with safety norms, maintenance of basic amenities and the creation of supportive academic environments would be monitored closely.
“The mental health of students is paramount, and negligence at any level will not be tolerated,” she said.
What the new rules demand
As part of the directive, regular inspections of coaching centres have been ordered to ensure they function as per prescribed standards. These include adequate seating, cleanliness, fire safety measures, functional emergency exits and adherence to stipulated class timings. Institutions have also been instructed to appoint trained counsellors, conduct periodic staff training and ensure access to medical facilities.
A senior official told TNN that mandatory counselling systems form a key part of the guidelines. Coaching centres have been asked to organise psychological counselling sessions when required, display mental health helpline numbers prominently and constitute internal grievance redressal committees. Awareness programmes for parents are also to be conducted to help them recognise early signs of stress and seek timely intervention.
Surveillance, schedules and stress reduction
To reduce academic pressure, institutions have been advised to review examination patterns and promote sports, yoga, art and other extracurricular activities. CCTV cameras with audio systems have been made mandatory in all coaching centres to ensure discipline and student safety.The district education department has given coaching centres and educational institutions 15 days to comply, after which compliance reports will be reviewed. “The decision has been taken at the state level. All coaching institutes, hostels and educational institutions with more than 100 students must install CCTV cameras in corridors and mandatorily appoint a counsellor for students’ mental health well-being,” said Rajesh Kumar Singh, district inspector of schools, Noida, as quoted by TNN.