Jaipur: Smaller coaching institutes have urged the Rajasthan govt to exempt them from the proposed relocation to the Pratap Nagar Coaching Hub, saying the move could increase operating costs, force fee hikes and make competitive exam coaching unaffordable for students from economically weaker families.The demand comes after the Supreme Court’s recent observations on coaching institutes operating in Gopalpura brought the proposed Coaching Hub back into focus. While institute owners support the idea of a dedicated coaching zone, they say its implementation should not disadvantage smaller players.Owners of small coaching centres said most of their students come from farming and low-income families and depend on affordable coaching. With space at the Coaching Hub reportedly priced between Rs 6,000 and Rs 9,500 per sq ft, they said purchasing premises is financially unviable. If ownership is made compulsory, they fear they will have to increase fees, putting competitive exam preparation beyond the reach of many students.Aneesh Kumar Nadar, state president of the All Coaching Institute Mahasangh, said a planned coaching ecosystem was necessary but should provide equal opportunities to institutes of all sizes. “If affordable space or rental options are not made available, the biggest losers will be students from modest backgrounds who depend on low-fee coaching centres,” he said.The association has demanded that institutes with fewer than 500 students be exempted from mandatory relocation. It pointed out that under the Coaching Commission’s rules, only institutes with more than 500 students are required to register, and the registration process itself has not yet begun.The federation has also urged the Rajasthan Housing Board to offer smaller institutes space at subsidised rates or on rent. It has proposed that the ground and first floors of the Coaching Hub be allotted through auction rather than sold outright, arguing that the current system favours financially stronger institutes that secure prime locations and greater student visibility.The association said revenue from auctioning lower floors could subsidise upper-floor space for smaller institutes and maintained that the Coaching Hub should remain exclusively dedicated to coaching institutes and competitive exam aspirants.
