FAIMA calls for strict action against medical coaching centres violating safety, structural norms

The doctor’s group, the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action against alleged infrastructure and safety violations at the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG), Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) and Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI-CET) coaching centres preparing students for medical entrance exams.

In the letter, FAIMA has flagged that every year, medical graduates continue to study in overcrowded, poorly ventilated, structurally compromised commercial complexes, despite paying “exorbitant fees.”

“Despite paying exorbitant fees, these young doctors are subjected to hazardous sitting arrangements, sitting for 10-12 hours a day in congested basements or multi-story buildings that lack basic fire escapes, functional ventilation, or structurally sound exits,” the FAIMA said in a letter.

Highlighting the violations, the doctor’s group has urged authorities to implement the Ministry of Education's (MoE) guidelines for Regulation of Coaching Centers, 2024.

Allocate space, infrastructure norms, urges FAIMA

The doctor's group FAIMA has strongly urged the enforcement of immediate statutory action under the legal provisions. As per the guidelines, coaching centres must allocate one square metre of floor area per student in each classroom. It also demanded that classes operating in basement spaces be restricted without securing approvals.

The doctors' group further called upon centres to maintain active fire safety certificates under relevant Fire Services Acts.

Under the enforcement provisions of the MoE framework, a penalty of 25,000 for the first offense and 1 lakh for the second offense must be applied, leading to the immediate cancellation of institutional registrations.

FAIMA demands regular audits from NMC

FAIMA demanded that a committee comprising municipal officials, fire department staff, and representatives from the National Medical Commission (NMC) carry out surprise inspections of coaching institutes.

It further demanded that the de-registration of institutes should be considered if they do not provide transparency about the number of their intake capacity, structural stability, and fire safety compliance certificates.

“In instances of severe structural hazards, criminal charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for negligence must be pressed directly against the institute management and property owners,” FAIMA adds in the letter.

The letter comes after renewed concerns over the safety of students studying at coaching centres, following a series of recent fire incidents in Lucknow.

Lucknow coaching centre fire

On 22 June, a fire in a commercial building housing coaching and training facilities in Lucknow killed at least 15 people and injured several others, prompting fresh scrutiny of emergency preparedness and building compliance.

The Lucknow fire incident has reignited concerns over overcrowding, inadequate exits, and poor adherence to fire-safety norms at coaching centres across the country.

“FAIMA has always stood at the forefront of protecting the rights and lives of doctors in India. The safety of our peers is absolutely non-negotiable. If immediate, tangible action is not taken to secure these coaching hubs, we will be forced to escalate this matter through national democratic protests,” FAIMA added in its letter.