Srinagar, Dec. 15 -- The Rise of the Coaching Classroom

In many parts of India today, the academic day no longer ends with the school bell. Students step out of their classrooms only to walk straight into coaching centres, their evenings consumed by lectures, tests, and revision schedules. In cities like Kota, Sikar, Hyderabad, Delhi, and even smaller district towns, entire localities function around coaching timetables. Hostels, mess facilities, and libraries cater not to college students, but to teenagers preparing for entrance examinations still years away.

This growing dependence on coaching reflects a widespread belief that formal schooling alone is no longer sufficient. For a student in Class IX or X, especially one aiming for eng...