Assam Cabinet clears coaching centre rules: registration and mental health staff

The Assam Cabinet approved a regulatory framework for coaching institutes on 18 August. Any institute teaching more than 50 students must register with its district authority.

What the rules require

• Registration with the district authority above the 50-student threshold
• Mental health professionals on staff to support students, particularly around exam periods
• Physical safety measures including grill rods on windows and rules on ceiling fan fittings
• Inclusion requirements covering marginalised and vulnerable students

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma summarised the intent: “We want to integrate mental health with coaching institutes.”

The decision follows figures the government cited on student deaths — more than 2,400 minors since 2021, of whom over 1,400 were girls.