Bringing the State’s booming private coaching industry under a strict regulatory framework, the Madhya Pradesh Government has notified the Madhya Pradesh Coaching Centres (Registration and Regulation) Rules, 2026. The notification has come into immediate effect. Issued to ensure transparency, student safety and mental well-being, the rules make registration mandatory for all coaching institutes imparting education to more than 20 students. Operators must apply within 90 days from the date of publication.

 

The registration will be valid for three years, will be non-transferable, and in case an institute has multiple branches, each branch will be treated as a separate coaching centre. Municipal Commissioners, Chief Municipal Officers and Janpad CEOs have been authorised as registration authorities. Under the new regime, every coaching centre must maintain a functional website and publicly display the complete fee structure, exit and fee refund policy, tutors’ names, educational qualifications, available infrastructure and safety measures, and a five-year record of total enrolled versus successful students. The minimum qualification for appointment as a tutor has been fixed as graduation. Persons convicted of offences involving student safety and sustainability will be barred from being appointed as tutors or support staff, and centres will have to share the staff list with the nearest police station. Students protection norms have been significantly strengthened.

 

Centres must deploy trained security staff, install CCTV cameras at appropriate places, provide fire-fighting equipment, first-aid facilities, adequate seating proportionate to enrolment, clean drinking water and proper lighting and ventilation. Crucially, CCTV recording will be prohibited in sensitive areas like toilets, changing rooms and counselling rooms to safeguard privacy. Access to rooftops, balconies and other high-risk areas must be restricted to prevent impulsive acts of self-harm, as directed in light of Supreme Court observations.

 

A major thrust has been given to mental health. All centres must adopt the State’s Uniform Mental Health Policy 2026, engage qualified counsellors, hold quarterly parent-teacher interactions to track student progress, and report any incident of attempted or completed suicide within 24 hours to the District Monitoring Committee. Discrimination on grounds of religion, caste, gender, birthplace or academic segregation is prohibited, and premises must be made Divyang-friendly. To ensure enforcement, a District Grievance Redressal Cell chaired by the Collector will be constituted in every district, while a State Monitoring Committee will monitor implementation and report to the Government. Registration can be suspended or cancelled with a reasoned order after a 15-day show-cause notice. Aggrieved institutes can appeal before the Divisional Commissioner within 30 days, with disposal mandated within 45 days.