Maharashtra has proposed a comprehensive law to regulate private coaching centres following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy that placed the state’s coaching sector under scrutiny. The draft Maharashtra Private Coaching Centers (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2026, has been released by the School Education and Sports Department, with suggestions and objections invited from the public until 6 pm on September 4.
The proposed law would cover tuition and coaching centres with more than 25 students, making Maharashtra’s threshold the lowest among states with dedicated coaching legislation introduced after the Union Education Ministry’s January 2024 guidelines.
A major provision would prohibit integration between recognised schools and coaching centres, targeting the dummy-school model in which students remain enrolled in schools while spending most of their academic time at coaching institutes. Schools found actively participating in such arrangements could face a recommendation for derecognition. Coaching classes operating from basements would also be prohibited.
All eligible centres would have to register through a state online portal. Existing centres would receive six months to complete registration, which would remain valid for three years. Centres would also have to maintain at least one month of CCTV footage and obtain fire and building safety certificates.
The draft would impose restrictions on teaching staff, preventing centres from employing individuals against whom a cognizable offence has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita or the earlier Indian Penal Code. The provision would be broader than comparable restrictions in several other states.
Student welfare would be regulated through mandatory weekly holidays for students and tutors. Tests would not be permitted on the day immediately following the weekly break, while teaching would be capped at five hours a day. Leave would have to be scheduled around major festivals, and aptitude testing and counselling would have to be provided.
Fees would also come under regulation. Centres could not charge more than their declared course fee or increase fees during a course. Students leaving a course would have to receive refunds for unused fees, including applicable hostel and mess charges, within 10 days. Faculty qualifications, fees and refund policies would have to be published online.
Penalties would be graded according to the severity of violations. Minor offences could attract fines of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, rising to Rs 10 lakh for repeat violations. Major violations, including operating without registration, misleading advertising and enrolling underage children, could result in fines of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Suspension, closure or deregistration could also be imposed.
Enforcement officers would be authorised to enter premises, search facilities, seize records and CCTV footage, and seal centres. Complaints under POCSO or workplace sexual-harassment laws would have to be acted upon within 24 hours.
The draft comes three months after the NEET-UG paper leak investigation, in which nine of 13 arrested individuals were reported to be from Maharashtra. Latur and Pune featured prominently in the investigation. The proposed law would prohibit enrolment of children below 13, although the threshold remains lower than the minimum age of 16 prescribed under the Centre’s 2024 guidelines.
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