Haryana Enacts Comprehensive Law for Registration and Regulation of Private Coaching Institutes

The State of Haryana has introduced a new legislative framework for the oversight of private coaching institutes with the enactment of The Haryana Registration and Regulation of Private Coaching Institutes Act, 2024. This legislation, designated as Haryana Act No. 12 of 2024, received the assent of the Governor of Haryana on March 14, 2024, and was subsequently published for general information in the Haryana Government Gazette on May 30, 2024. The Act aims to establish a structured system for the registration and regulation of private coaching institutes that offer preparation for competitive examinations for higher studies, jobs, and professional courses, along with related matters. The legislation specifies that it shall come into force on a date to be appointed by the State Government through a notification in the Official Gazette.

Under the provisions of the new Act, a District Authority is mandated for each district to manage the registration and regulation of these institutes. This Authority comprises the Deputy Commissioner as Chairperson, the Superintendent of Police, the District Municipal Commissioner, the District Higher Education Officer, the District Education Officer, an Accounts Officer, a Principal of a Government College, and two representatives from private coaching institutes in the district. The Authority is tasked with ensuring strict compliance with the Act, establishing a Grievance Redressal Cell at the district level, curbing malpractices such as misleading advertisements and false claims regarding student selections, and conducting inspections of private coaching institutes either suo motu or upon complaint.

All private coaching institutes established before the commencement of this Act are required to register themselves within three months from the date of its commencement. New institutes must apply to the concerned District Authority. A separate registration certificate is necessary for each branch of a private coaching institute within the State. Applicants for registration must provide comprehensive information, including a prospectus detailing curriculum, duration, fee structure (including refund and easy exit policies), lecture schedules, maximum batch sizes, academic qualifications and bio-data of teachers and counselors, coaching area details, and specifics of facilities such as furniture, lighting, potable drinking water, separate toilets, fire safety measures, first aid, parking space, and a reading room or library. The Authority or an authorized officer will scrutinize these documents within thirty days and, subject to fulfilling conditions, issue a registration certificate within an additional fifteen days. Registration certificates will be valid for three years and are renewable.

A significant provision of the Act mandates that every private coaching institute must engage at least one full-time counselor to address mental health and stress-related issues among students. The legislation also explicitly prohibits private coaching institutes from publishing or causing to be published any misleading advertisement or providing false information related to coaching. For any violation of the Act or its rules, a private coaching institute faces a fine of twenty-five thousand rupees for the first violation, one lakh rupees for a subsequent violation, and cancellation of registration if the violation persists. An Appellate Authority, chaired by the Director/Director General of the Higher Education Department, has been constituted to hear appeals against orders passed by the District Authority, with a final decision expected within forty-five days.

The legislative intent behind The Haryana Registration and Regulation of Private Coaching Institutes Act, 2024, is to bring much-needed order and accountability to the rapidly expanding private coaching sector. The Act seeks to address the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework that previously allowed for unchecked growth and potential exploitation. The legislation provided: “to register and regulate private coaching institutes providing coaching for competitive examinations for higher studies, jobs and professional courses and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.” This core objective aims to safeguard student interests by ensuring transparency in fee structures, quality of facilities, and the credentials of teaching staff.

By mandating registration and setting clear operational standards, the Act intends to mitigate issues such as misleading advertisements, false promises of success, and inadequate infrastructure that have often plagued the sector. The requirement for a full-time counselor directly addresses concerns regarding student mental health and stress, a critical aspect often overlooked in the high-pressure environment of competitive exam preparation. The establishment of a Grievance Redressal Cell further empowers students and parents to seek recourse against malpractices. While the Act does not derogate from any other existing law, it introduces a specific legal framework for private coaching institutes, thereby filling a statutory gap. The State Government retains the power to issue guidelines and make rules for the effective implementation of the Act, and civil courts are barred from jurisdiction over matters falling under this legislation, ensuring a streamlined administrative process for enforcement.

Keywords: Haryana, Coaching Institutes, Regulation, Registration, Education, Competitive Exams, Student Welfare, Misleading Advertisement, Grievance Redressal, Act 2024

Geo Tags: India, Haryana District: Not Applicable