Only 2,790 students enrolled against a target of 10,500: parliamentary panel on government free coaching scheme
The report paints a bleak picture of the free coaching scenario at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech announced a rollout of “free online coaching” for all students, following the Gen Z protests demanding accountability over NEET-UG paper leak; the road map of the coaching plan has not yet been made public
A parliamentary standing committee has found that the Centre has struggled to effectively implement its free coaching scheme for economically disadvantaged students appearing in competitive exams. Only 2,790 students were enrolled for free coaching over the past three years, representing just 26% of the targeted 10,500 candidates.
The committee noted that the Ministry of Social Justice had set targets of enrolling 3,500 students annually, which was not achieved. The Ministry's budget estimates for the scheme have been progressively reduced, from ₹47 crore in 2023-24 to ₹20 crore for 2026-27, but the actual expenditure has been minimal, ranging from ₹7.11 crore to ₹9.86 crore.
The committee expressed concerns about the high annual income ceiling of ₹8 lakh for beneficiaries, which has limited the scheme's reach. It recommended that the income ceiling be re-examined to make the scheme more effective and inclusive. The Ministry has stated that the target of 7,000 slots has been proposed to expand the scheme's reach and ensure wider coverage of eligible beneficiaries across the country.
However, the committee remains critical of the Ministry's performance in implementing the scheme, citing limited participation by Central universities and delayed proposals for funding.
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