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The proposed rules are aimed at addressing excessive academic pressure, arbitrary fee collection, misleading advertisements and the mental health concerns of students.
As per the new rules, children up to Class 9 will be kept out of private coaching institutions in Karnataka. (AI Image)
In a major move to regulate private coaching centres and reduce academic pressure on students, the Karnataka government has proposed a set of stringent rules that would prohibit coaching institutes from admitting children below the age of 15, cap daily coaching hours at five and make fee refunds mandatory for students who withdraw midway through a course.
The draft Karnataka Tutorial Institutions or Coaching Centres (Registration and Regulation) Rules, 2026, by the Higher Education Department has been accessed by CNN-NEWS18 and it seeks to bring private coaching institutes under a comprehensive regulatory framework. The proposed rules are aimed at addressing excessive academic pressure, arbitrary fee collection, misleading advertisements and the mental health concerns of students.
One of the key provisions is the proposed restriction on admissions. Coaching centres will not be allowed to enrol students below 15 years of age or those who have not completed their secondary school examination (Class 10). This effectively means that children up to Class 9 will be kept out of private coaching institutions.
The government has also proposed a five-hour daily limit on coaching. This will include regular classes, examinations, revision sessions and doubt-clearing sessions. Coaching centres will be permitted to operate only between 6 am and 9 pm and cannot schedule classes during the regular school or college hours of enrolled students.
Four Instalments For Fees, Refund Within 10 Days
In a significant relief to parents, the draft rules seek to end the practice of coaching centres collecting the entire course fee upfront. Institutions will have to provide parents or guardians the option of paying the course fee in at least four equal instalments.
The draft specifically states that centres must provide parents or guardians with “the option to pay the course fee in not less than four equal instalments during the duration of the course”.
Students who withdraw from a course before its completion will be entitled to a proportionate refund for the remaining period. The refund must be processed within 10 days of withdrawal. The provision also extends to applicable hostel and mess fees paid by students staying in the institution’s accommodation.
Coaching centres will also be prohibited from forcing students to purchase books, notes or other study materials from them.
Mental Health Support To Be Mandatory
Recognising the growing concerns over academic stress and student mental health, the draft rules require coaching institutions to make qualified counsellors available whenever needed. Centres will also have to conduct periodic mental health awareness workshops and sensitisation programmes for students and parents.
The draft notification states: “Tutorial Institutions shall take steps for the mental wellbeing of the students and may conduct classes without putting undue pressure on its students.”
It further requires institutions to establish a mechanism for immediate intervention to provide “targeted and sustained assistance to students in distress and stressful situations”.
Coaching centres will also have to ensure that internal assessment results are kept confidential and used to monitor students’ academic progress. Students whose performance is deteriorating must be provided counselling rather than being publicly singled out.
Tutors will also have to undergo mental health-related training to ensure that feedback on students’ performance is communicated sensitively.
No Guaranteed Ranks Or Misleading Advertisements
The proposed rules prohibit coaching centres from making misleading claims about guaranteed ranks, high marks or admissions to premier institutions. They will also have to disclose details of courses, fee structures, faculty qualifications, course duration, refund policies and student outcomes through their websites, notice boards and prospectuses.
Institutions will also have to provide information about alternative career options beyond engineering and medical courses to prevent students from feeling that their future depends solely on securing admission to these streams.
Mandatory Registration, Rs 5 Lakh Penalty
The draft rules make registration mandatory for coaching centres and tutorial institutions catering to more than 20 students. The provisions cover institutions offering academic support, competitive examination coaching and other paid tutorial services.
Applications for registration will have to be submitted through the Seva Sindhu portal. Each branch of an institution will be treated as a separate entity for registration purposes. The proposed registration fee is Rs 15,000, with an additional Rs 5,000 for each course. Registration will remain valid for three years.
Existing institutions will have to apply for registration within 90 days of the rules coming into force. Authorities will have the power to seal centres operating without registration after the prescribed transition period. Serious violations could attract penalties of up to Rs 5 lakh, besides cancellation of registration.
The draft also prescribes infrastructure and safety requirements, including adequate classroom space, separate toilets for boys and girls, CCTV surveillance, ventilation, fire safety and building safety certificates.
Government and aided educational institution teachers and staff will not be permitted to work at private coaching centres. Tutors will have to possess at least a graduate qualification, while individuals convicted of offences involving moral turpitude will be barred from being employed.
Separate Monitoring Committee For Bengaluru
To ensure compliance, the government has proposed two district-level monitoring committees — one exclusively for Bengaluru Urban district and another covering the remaining districts of Karnataka.
These committees will monitor coaching institutions, inspect facilities and address complaints. They will include representatives from departments such as education, police, health, social welfare and women and child development.
The proposed rules will replace the Karnataka Tutorial Institutions (Registration and Regulation) Rules, 2001. The government has invited objections and suggestions from the public within 15 days of publication of the draft notification. The provisions will come into force only after the draft process is completed and the final rules are notified.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Under the draft Karnataka Tutorial Institutions Rules, 2026, private coaching centres are prohibited from admitting children below the age of 15 or those who have not completed Class 10. Additionally, daily coaching hours are capped at a maximum of five hours, which includes regular classes, exams, revision, and doubt-clearing sessions.
Ask News18About the Author
Harish Upadhya, an Assistant Editor at CNN-News18, reports from Bengaluru. Political reporting is his forte. He also tracks India’s space journey, and is passionate about environmental reporting and R…Read More
October 30, 2026, 10:07 IST
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