NAGPUR: Coaching institutes are unhappy with civic authorities for being clubbed in schools/colleges category for unlocking, even though there is “stark difference between the two”.
Rajnikant Bondre, president of Association of Coaching Institutes, said, “Schools and colleges are run by societies/trusts which get multiple benefits in taxation, utility bills and other government schemes.
Coaching institutes are run as private enterprises which pay taxes at commercial rate and are ineligible for any government benefit (education related).” He added there is no logic to keep coaching institutes closed.
“Students can go to movie theatres, restaurants, gyms, spas, salons, water parks and even attend weddings.
But authorities seem to be convinced that the chances of getting infected are more at a coaching institute,” said Bondre.
At the national level it’s the Coaching Federation of India (CFI) which wields the maximum influence.
Krishna Chaitanya Kasula, general secretary of CFI, says monitoring at their institutes is always at the highest level.
Kasula said, “First, we need to understand that going to a coaching institute is not mandatory, unlike attending Std X or XII.
It’s a choice which a parent makes for their child.
This in effect makes the parent our ‘supervising authority’.
If at anytime parents feel that their child is not safe here, or that the quality of education is not good, they will pull out and go somewhere else.
So, we are always at the mercy of the parents and hence highest safety protocols are always in place.” “Our parents cough up 18% GST while paying fees.
We pay commercial rate for utilities and on top of that also pay corporate tax for our firm.
We will ask the government to consider our case because coaching institutes can operate very well with limited seating capacity,” said Bondre.