Why coaching industry in India is growing rapidly

The mainstream education system of India suffers from a very faulty infrastructure. The exam phobia is another pressure hounding the Indian students. Hence, students who want to excel in academics have to eventually join a coaching institute for their academics. This has led to setting up of many coaching institutes with some of the cities even becoming a coaching hub.

A report by Global Industry Analysts stated that the global scope of the private tutoring market has the potential to cross $102.8 billion. It states that the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific have almost 90 per cent share in this industry with South Korea alone capturing 20 per cent of the market. Additionally, India leads in offering affordable online coaching.

The coaching industry has seen a phenomenal rise in the last six to seven years. An ASSOCHAM survey found out that 87 per cent of primary school children and 95 per cent of high school students attend private coaching classes. The statistics also reveal that middle-class parents spend almost one-third of their monthly income on their child’s private tuitions.

Not only for school education but also for various competitive exams such as for professional or government exams, coaching institutes are getting popular among aspiring candidates. From these facts, it is clear that private coaching industry is expanding at a brisk pace. Now coaching centres are limited not only to metropolitan cities but to tier-2 and tier-3 cities as well. The industry is also experiencing very high profitability.

So, what’s the reason behind the exponential growth of the coaching industry in India. Let us delve deeper into the topic.

1. Those appearing for boards or university exams form the major chunk of any coaching institute. Even if the student thinks that he is capable of self-study, he does not want to take any kind of risk. Also, the students have mostly lost faith in their schools, and they need the help of a coaching institute to supplement their studies.
2. There is also a factor of peer pressure where joining a coaching institute is seen as a necessity to magnifying one’s grades. Difficulty in studying the subject also leads one to join a coaching institute.
3. There is another factor of the unsatisfactory level of teaching in colleges which leads many to enroll themselves in coaching institutes.
4. A large crowd of student’s flock to coaching institutes because of the regular assessment facility provided there. This is one of the main advantages perceived by the students at a coaching institute as this is the area where our schools lack.
5. Coaching classes also give facility of streamlined notes or to-the-point notes which prevents students from wavering off the syllabus. The notes are framed specifically keeping in mind the exam syllabus.
6. An added advantage of the coaching institutes is that their teachers are available round’ the clock for tending to students’ problems. The same cannot be said about college teachers or professors.
7. Another advantage of coaching institutes is that they offer an environment which is highly competitive and thus are suited for the preparation of exams such as engineering and medical.

A recent meeting held between the IIT’s director and HRD Ministry was on the topic of several JEE coaching institutes coming up in the country. The directors suggested jointly to the government that coaching institutes are not a menace at all. Most of these coaching institutes keep students busy in academic pursuits which eventually helps them in professional advancement in some form or the other. Unemployment has been a severe problem in this country since independence. If not for these coaching institutes youngsters would become involved in various nefarious activities which are highly detrimental for society. At least, if the student is not able to qualify an IIT entrance exam he or she may get admission to some other worthwhile institute with the help of coaching. Also, some of these coaching institutes do have some reputed teachers at their coaching institutes.

Private tutoring is considered as a form of supplementary education. It is thriving mostly in those countries where the public education system is unable to satisfy the needs of the students. In addition, competition in education is another factor in which private coaching institutes thrive. Also, the problem of individual attention is solved to a large extent by these coaching institutes. Gone are the days when coaching institutes used to be looked upon as something of inferior. Now they have become more of a necessity and are there to help students onto the path of success.