Nagaland notifies strict guidelines to regulate mushrooming coaching centres, mandating registration, transparency, student protection and penalties for violations.
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KOHIMA — Amid the rapid mushrooming of coaching centres across Nagaland, the state government has notified comprehensive guidelines mandating registration, regulation and strict compliance norms to safeguard students’ interests and ensure accountability.
An independent Eastern Mirror assessment has identified around 30 coaching centres catering to competitive examinations, with several institutions operating multiple branches in Kohima alone.
Some centres reportedly enrol 70–80 students per batch or shift and function throughout the day, reflecting the growing dependence on private coaching for civil services, technical, clerical and other competitive examinations.
A co-founder of a coaching centre shared that while the sector faces intense competition, parents are increasingly willing to invest in coaching after their children complete formal education. He added that student enrolment often fluctuates depending on the latest results of examinations conducted by the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC), Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) and other major entrance tests.
Another co-founder and faculty member, who is a serving government employee, said that he conducts classes in the morning before reporting for official duty. He added that several former aspirants now in government service remain associated with coaching centres as founders, owners or faculty members across the state.
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Guidelines notified
In November, the department of Higher and Technical Education notified the Guidelines for Registration and Regulation of Coaching Centres to bring the rapidly expanding sector under a structured regulatory framework.
The guidelines aim to prescribe minimum operational standards, regulate coaching activities and protect students from misleading practices, while also encouraging holistic development through co-curricular activities, career guidance and psychological counselling.
Under the guidelines, “coaching” is defined as tuition, instruction or guidance imparted to more than 20 students in any branch of learning. Counselling services, sports, dance, theatre and other creative activities are excluded from this definition.
Coaching centres are required to apply for registration with the respective district administration, who will then verify applications and forward recommendations to a state level committee headed by the administrative head of Higher and Technical Education.
Based on compliance and inspection, the committee will issue registration certificates. The initial registration fee has been fixed at INR 5,000, valid for two years, while renewal every two years will require a fee of INR 2,000. Existing coaching centres have been given a three-month window to apply for registration.
Each branch of a coaching centre will be treated as a separate entity requiring separate registration. The state level committee must decide on granting or refusing registration within three months, recording reasons in writing if an application is rejected, after giving the applicant an opportunity to be heard.
The guidelines lay down strict eligibility conditions. Coaching centres are barred from engaging tutors below graduation level, admitting students under 16 years of age, or enrolling students before completion of secondary school education.
They are prohibited from guaranteeing ranks, marks or selection, or from publishing misleading advertisements regarding results, facilities or quality of coaching. Centres failing to meet minimum space requirements per student will not be eligible for registration.
Coaching centres are also barred from hiring tutors or staff convicted of offences involving moral turpitude and are required to have a counselling system in place. Classes for school-going students during school hours are strictly prohibited.
Transparency, protection
Registered coaching centres must maintain a functional website disclosing tutors’ qualifications, courses offered, programme duration, fee structure, refund and exit policies, hostel facilities (if any), and data on student enrolment and successful admissions.
The guidelines mandate fair and transparent fee structures, issuance of receipts, and prohibit fee hikes during the course period. Students withdrawing mid-course are entitled to a pro-rata refund within 10 days.
Infrastructure norms include adequate classroom space, fire and building safety compliance, drinking water, first-aid facilities, grievance redressal mechanisms and separate toilets for male and female students.
Coaching duration has been capped at a maximum of five hours per day, with mandatory weekly offs for students and tutors. Centres have been directed to avoid tests immediately after weekly holidays and to provide remedial classes where necessary.
The guidelines place strong emphasis on student well-being, encouraging engagement of trained counsellors and psychologists, regular mental health awareness sessions, and mechanisms for stress management and academic counselling.
Coaching centres have also been directed not to discriminate on grounds of religion, caste, gender or background, and to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities, including PwD-friendly infrastructure and tutor sensitisation.
The competent authority will conduct regular inspections and enquiries. Complaints must be disposed of within 30 days following due process.
Penalties include a fine of INR 25,000 for the first violation and INR 1 lakh for the second, with cancellation of registration for subsequent offences.
Vigilance caution
Earlier, the department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Vigilance Branch) cautioned government employees against engaging in private employment without prior approval.
In an Office Memorandum dated March 4, 2025, the department reiterated that government servants are barred under the Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968, from engaging in private trade, business or employment without government sanction, warning of disciplinary action for violations.