Delhi to Seal Coaching Centres Violating Safety Norms, Says Minister
New Delhi: Education Minister Ashish Sood announced on Thursday that the Delhi government will conduct inspections of coaching centres to ensure compliance with fire safety measures and building regulations. Centres found violating these norms will be sealed, he warned.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been designated as the nodal agency for conducting fire audits and safety inspections across all coaching centres in the city. According to Mr. Sood, there are approximately 923 such centres in Delhi. A meeting of the committee formed to draft regulations for coaching centres, based on the recommendations of the Justice Gauba Committee, has already been convened.
The Justice Gauba Committee's recommendations cover structural safety, quality standards, teacher qualifications, operational norms, and guidelines for advertisements by coaching institutes. The Minister stated that authorities will ensure coaching classes are conducted only in locations permitted under safety regulations.
Mr. Sood chaired a meeting with officials from multiple government agencies on Wednesday and directed them to complete inspections in coaching hubs such as Mukherjee Nagar, Rajender Nagar, and Katwaria Sarai within one month. His remarks came after a fire in a building in Aliganj, Lucknow, on June 22, which claimed 15 lives.
Earlier this month, Mr. Sood had indicated that Delhi would soon have a regulatory framework for coaching institutes to address issues including student safety, fee structure, and infrastructural standards. This followed an administrative review after a basement flooding incident at a UPSC coaching institute in Old Rajinder Nagar in 2024, which resulted in the deaths of three students.
On a separate matter, Mr. Sood commented on the inclusion of a section on the Emergency in the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) textbooks. He said students should be aware of the alleged excesses during that period, adding, 'The younger generation should understand the sacrifices made by previous generations to safeguard freedom of expression and democratic rights.'
