Srinagar, March 30 -- The banners are everywhere-bright colors, bold letters, stretching across walls and stuck on poles. "Your Child, the Next Doctor or Engineer!"they promise. The same message, year after year, with the same words, same colors, and the same promises.

The streets of Kashmir are littered with these declarations of success. Coaching centers spring up like mushrooms after the rain, each one claiming to hold the secret formula to academic excellence. Desperate and hopeful parents pour their hard-earned money into these institutions, believing that the right tutor can unlock their child's future.

What begins as a hopeful pursuit of knowledge soon turns into a business-a highly profitable one. According to theTimes of India,...