Madhya Pradesh has notified new coaching-centre rules that require registration, ban classes during school hours, cap operating hours at five hours a day and introduce mandatory disclosures on fees, staff, results, safety and student support, according to a report by the Times of India.
The Madhya Pradesh Coaching Centres (Registration and Regulation) Rules, 2026, notified by the higher education department, require existing coaching centres to apply for registration within 90 days of publication in the official gazette. Registration will remain valid for three years and must then be renewed. It cannot be transferred, and every branch of an institute will be treated as a separate centre requiring its own registration.
The rules also regulate how coaching centres present information to students and parents. Each centre must maintain a website showing its complete fee structure, the names and qualifications of teaching and support staff, the examinations for which coaching is offered, academic support services, exit procedures, refund policy, safety arrangements, facilities, operating hours and a copy of the applicable regulations.
Centres will additionally have to publish year-wise data on successful students against the total number enrolled for each programme. The disclosure must cover the previous five years or the period since the centre began operating, whichever is shorter. The requirement is intended to give families more information before they pay fees or enrol students.
The framework places specific obligations on student safety and welfare. Coaching premises must have CCTV cameras at appropriate locations, although recording will not be allowed in sensitive areas such as toilets, changing rooms and counselling rooms. Centres must provide adequate seating, clean drinking water, sanitation, first-aid facilities and emergency preparedness measures.
Mental-health support is also included in the rules. Institutes must provide access to qualified mental-health counsellors, conduct regular counselling, maintain communication with parents and follow the state’s mental-health policy. Contact details for a counsellor and helpline numbers must be displayed. A grievance redressal mechanism will also be mandatory.
The rules prescribe a bachelor’s degree as the minimum qualification for tutors. People convicted of specified offences concerning student safety cannot be appointed as tutors or support staff. Staff details must be displayed publicly so that students and parents can verify them.
The regulations prohibit discrimination during admission and teaching on the grounds of religion, race, caste, gender or place of birth. Centres cannot create separate batches on these grounds. They must also provide accessible facilities and adopt sensitivity towards students with special needs.
If registration, renewal or continuation is refused, suspended or cancelled, a centre may appeal to the divisional commissioner within 30 days of receiving the order. The appeal must be decided within 45 days of the hearing. The government has said the measures are intended to make coaching operations accountable, protect students and help parents make informed choices.
