Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday, 11 June chaired a high-level meeting to formulate a comprehensive regulatory framework for coaching centres operating in the national capital. The proposed policy, described as a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, is set to address fee structures, student safety, mental health support, and infrastructure compliance across Delhi's sprawling coaching ecosystem.

Key Decisions from the Meeting

The Director of Higher Education has been designated as the Nodal Officer responsible for drafting the policy, according to an official statement. A multidisciplinary committee will be constituted to develop detailed guidelines spanning fee regulation, student and staff welfare, grievance redressal mechanisms, and standardisation of working conditions.

Infrastructure standards, building safety compliance, fire preparedness, and emergency response measures will also fall within the committee's mandate. Senior officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Fire Services, Directorate of Higher Education, Delhi Police, the Department of Labour, the Department of Health, and the Urban Development Department attended the meeting.

The Gauba Committee Backdrop

The push for a formal regulatory framework follows directly from the recommendations of the Gauba Committee — a high-level panel constituted by the Delhi High Court under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd.) R.C. Gauba. The committee was formed in the wake of the 2024 fatal flooding incident at a coaching institute in Old Rajendra Nagar, which exposed systemic safety gaps across Delhi's densely packed coaching hubs. The Gauba Committee was tasked with identifying vulnerabilities and proposing a stricter oversight framework.

Notably, that incident drew national attention to the largely unregulated nature of coaching institutes, many of which operate in basement premises with inadequate fire exits and drainage infrastructure.

What the Proposed Framework Will Cover

According to the official statement quoting Sood, the framework is designed to ensure a 'safe, transparent, accountable, and student-centric environment' in coaching institutes across Delhi. Key pillars include:

Regulated fee structures to prevent arbitrary pricing; mental health support and counselling mechanisms for students; grievance redressal systems for both students and staff; and standardised teacher and staff welfare conditions. The shift, officials noted, marks a move away from fragmented civic monitoring toward a coordinated academic and regulatory model.

Delhi Eyes Pioneer Status on Coaching Regulation

Sood stated that Delhi is poised to become the first state in India to introduce comprehensive guidelines regulating coaching institutes — institutions that draw students from across the country. The minister added that the Delhi government is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness, given the scale and national significance of the capital's coaching sector.

With the multidisciplinary committee yet to be formally constituted, the timeline for the draft policy's release remains to be confirmed. The framework, once finalised, could serve as a template for other states grappling with similar regulatory gaps.