PRIVATE COACHING INSTITUTIONS – A boon or a doom
Lone Nawazz…
Srinagar:-The youth of kashmir valley are in race to build stable, shining and prosperous careers . The competitive era of the new century is the direct outcome of factors like western influences, growth of population, better economic levels of professionals and longing for self-satisfaction.
In kashmir valley where some youth set an example by topping the civil services, has changed the mindset of young blood students especially the students from villages and far flung areas,to prepare for such exams. Students from these areas are persuaded to think about their careers when they enter the tenth standard in school. As the state authority made a tight vigil on government schools to provide better education despite providing the better facilities to the students but in Kashmir valley the government run institutes remains only name now.
In our valley Schools do not impart quality education because they are busy completing the syllabus . For competing in examination (of the present class) and entrance tests (of the class ahead), students need specialised courses, trained teachers and zeal. Zeal is developed in them by their parents, friends and teachers. For getting specialised sets of knowledge, they look to private coaching institutes to achieve success.
In kashmir, the trend of educating one’s offspring’s through tutions has caught up like a hot cakes. Children of age groups 5-7 years are given expert coaching even to complete their homework. This trend started during early 90’s in the srinagar city. And now this trend has reached to small villages and towns also. Parents and students contended that competition was tough even in the class-rooms of a school. Homework was given by teachers and no student was guided, according to them. Thus, private tutors were hired to help. Add to it, the favour and zeal for appearing in a competitive examination and also, succeeding in it with flying colours. Thus, private coaching professionals realised that it was high time they took the plunge. So, these coaching individuals or centres moved towards the professional coaching institute, which symbolised a platform for succeeding in academics and competitive examinations.
In srinagar city alone , there are nearly dozens of coaching institutes of repute. These institutes teach students through the better possible way and provides coaching for class studies (tutions) and competitive exminations. Almost all the major institutes have their own websites. They release the names of shortlisted candidates on these websites (for granting them admissions). Coaching schedules for class studies (tutions) start from Class XI onwards. But most of the reputed institues provide coaching for preparing candidates for various competitive examinations. Some reputed exminations are PMT, PET, AIIMS, IIT-JEE, medical and engineering entrance examinations , NDA and NEET. It is obvious that many students prefer going abroad. Thus, they get guidance with respect to entrance examinations that would help them get foreign degrees.
These institutes charge exorbitant fees from the students appearing in entrance examinations. They also conduct their own screening tests and admit only those students who, they deem, would get through the gruelling schedules of entrance examinations.
Their faculty and support staff are professionals, most of them are hired from professional institutes, former alumni OR GMC Srinagar. Teachers work hard and so do students. The training sessions are of varying time durations, some students may opt for a three-month capsule course while others may prefer to study for one year. Nowadays, students of class IX are also invited to start preparations for competitive examinations. Some coaching institutions offer orientations and training courses to weak students as well. We should oppose such moves because extremely poor academics performances of some candidates would not help them get seats in professional colleges. But the primary objective of coaching institutes is to amass fortune; and the unfortunate students (who do not stand any chances to succeed in the competitive examinations) waste their time and mony on such futile efforts.
In my opinion, if a student has been performing well in the primary classes and has secured at least 72-75 per cent marks in Class IX in his school, he or she can join such institutes. This percentage is, however, the lower limit and a candidate with this percentage would have to work very hard. It must be noted that those students, who get a second division or lower, should not try for tough competitive examinations, rest they should waste their energies. On the other hand, students with brilliant academic records can also fail in their battle grounds.
Ethics and moral values may be missing so far as the fee structure of the training institutes is concerned. However, some brilliant students (and also, the needy ones) are granted scholarships or grants-in-and by these institutes. This is a welcome step, though we do not have the statistics about those students who are “actually granted” these financial privileges.
In sum, private coaching institutions are the necessary evil in the competitive society. They are here to stay. They are also the best in their respective fields and help many a student get admission to the chosen professional courses or career streams. So long as they deliver such concrete results, there is no harm in getting guidance from them. However, students and career seekers would have to judge the credibility, abilities and communication skills of such institutes before enrolling in the same.
(views expessed are exclusevly of the author )
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