PTA demands formation of Council of Coaching Classes

Pune: The Professional Teachers Association (PTA), a body of coaching class owners and teachers in the State, opposing the final draft of the Maharashtra Coaching Classes Regulation Act, has alleged that the committee members deceived the representatives of the coaching classes who were present at the meetings, and didn’t incorporate the changes that were suggested by the professors.

PTA has also demanded the formation of Council of Coaching Classes, a self-regulatory body, on the lines of other professional bodies like Bar Council or IMA, instead of the government passing the Regulation Act.

Speaking to the media about the issue, Prof Chandrashekhar Behere of Behere Commerce Classes and President (Operations) PTA, said, “In the meetings with our representatives back in December 2017, the government’s draft committee had agreed to accept and incorporate around 80 per cent of the changes suggested by us in the draft for the Act. However, our members did not get a signed copy of the changes and when the final draft came out, we saw that maximum of those changes were not incorporated.”

Behere also insisted that the coaching class owners and teachers are professionals and should be treated like ones. 

“The Indian Constitution says that ‘You cannot treat equals, unequally’. While the other professionals like lawyers, doctors, architects, etc., have their own self-regulatory bodies, to keep control over them, and the government just watches over the body. Even we believe that some amount of control must exist within ourselves, and that’s why, we should be allowed to form our body, with representatives from the government,” he added.

One of the other demands by PTA, which is also already supported by the government in the Act, is that those colleges which enter into a tie-up with coaching classes and offer college premises allowing coaching classes teachers to teach in college premises must be banned and the government must initiate prompt action against such colleges. While the government has given such colleges a deadline of 90 days, PTA demands immediate action against such colleges.

Also, as far as dual teachers are concerned (teachers to teach at colleges, as well as run coaching classes), the government, in its draft, has stated that the temporary teachers are free to teach at the coaching classes. “We don’t teach at colleges, so the open market of students should be ours. However, the teachers who also teach at the colleges, at times compel their students to join their coaching classes only. So not just permanent ones, even the temporary or part-time teachers should be stopped from running or teaching at coaching classes,” Behere said.

If at all the ordinance is passed by the government without considering PTA’s demand, the Association will be taking the matter to the court.