Maharashtra drafts Coaching Centre Bill, association opposes ‘Kota-based’ rules for smaller classes

The Maharashtra government has introduced a new draft law to bring private coaching centres under a regulatory framework. The proposed Maharashtra Private Coaching Centres (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2026 draft applies to centres with more than twenty-five students per batch.

Coaching class owners have raised concerns about the draft law, the Maharashtra Private Coaching Centers (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2026, which has restricted the enrolment of students below thirteen and the segregation of students based on academic performance.

This proposal is based on the guidelines of the Union Education Ministry’s January 2024, which were issued in January 2024, which asked all states and Union Territories to regulate coaching centres through a legal framework. Maharashtra has said its draft was prepared after taking into account the centre’s guidelines as well as laws and regulations followed by other states.

The draft is open for public feedback until September 4, 2026. The government will consider all the suggestions before finalising the bill and passing the law.

Maharashtra Coaching Centre Bill: Key provisions

The draft mentions rules on mandatory registration, infrastructure, fees, class hours and student welfare, along with counselling and grievance-redressal mechanisms. The existing coaching centres will have six months to register after the law comes into force.

Among the different provisions, a five-hour daily cap on coaching, a weekly day off, a ban on giving admission to children below thirteen, restrictions on batch segregation, and aptitude assessments are some of the most important ones. 

The bill has also given provisions on infrastructure requirements such as one square metre of space per student, fire-safety certification, separate toilets, drinking water and parking facilities. Integrated coaching or ‘dummy school’ arrangements would be banned.

Why coaching classes are opposing the draft

Coaching class owners have argued that the proposed rules are based on the model of large coaching hubs such as Kota and are not how coaching operates in Maharashtra. The Maharashtra Class Owners’ Association has said that around 99% of coaching classes are small with minimum classroom space, parking, and restrictions on premises

The association also claims that the coaching centres are a major cause of academic stress for the students, which is not correct. It has argued that many coaching classes actually reduce academic pressure by offering proper preparation for competitive examinations.

Owners have questioned measures such as aptitude tests, restrictions on class hours and the prohibition on younger students, saying these may not suit students who want to participate in Olympiads or other examinations from an early age.