If one were to inquire about the industries in Bihar, the first answer they would get is the education industry. This particular industry, which has been a consistent preoccupation of the people of this state, has been thriving irrespective of Bihar’s social and political phenomena and the global meltdown. Bihar boasts of some of the finest schools in the country. But even more important is the coaching niche’ within this gigantic education industry, which has not only withstood the test of time but is still progressing in leaps and bounds. It is indeed an achievement when a particular occupation becomes synonymous with its place of existence; it is an even bigger achievement when that place starts getting known by virtue of that occupation. Coaching business has just earned that place on the pedestal. Bihar is being known for its coaching institutes much more than for anything else.
Once accused by traditionalists for adulterating the sublime profession of teaching, coaching has transformed into a necessity in this fast-growing world. Kota in Rajasthan is an example worth mentioning. Students flocking to Kota for their preparatory studies is no surprise for anyone. In fact, an estimated 30,000 students migrate from Bihar to various coaching destinations, most prominently Kota, for coaching courses. Believed to be the Mecca for students who are serious about their education, Kota has been known for and because of its coaching industry. This industry has also been responsible for the economy boost of that region. Somewhat similar is Bihar’s situation. While every other industry has had its fair share of ups and downs here, education in general and coaching in particular are going strong.
Within the coaching industry too, there have been a lot of improvisations. Newer concepts are being introduced everyday. The courses have moved from short-duration and exam-specific to long-term and comprehensive. ‘Catch them young’ is the latest mantra, and coaching institutes are coming out with novel ways of value enhancement like pre-foundation courses, integrated courses and so on. The duration of preparation has increased from six months to four years and the scope of study now covers medical/engineering entrance preparation to school syllabus and beyond, which include IIT-JEE, AIEEE, AIIMS, CAT and other competitive exams as well as class 9, boards, plus 2, Spoken English, Foreign Languages etc.
Students too opine on this flourishing business in the state. Srishti, a class 10 student of an English-medium school in Patna, cannot imagine life without her tutorial classes that help her with the boards preparation. Similar is the case with most of her friends. Jawed, one of her seniors, wants to qualify in JEE and hence has got enrolled in one of the premier coaching institutes in the city’s Boring Road area. Here he is taught Physics, Chemistry and Maths. “My coaching timing is in the evening on weekdays, and extra hours in the afternoon on weekends, so we do not have to rush with the study schedule. Plus, whatever problems and doubts we have at school, we can easily ask our coaching tutors to clarify them,” says Jawed. This shows how the fine line between schooling and coaching is gradually getting intermingled and subsequently vanishing.
But would it be correct to call this coaching business an industry in Bihar? Views are divided. Coaching is a burgeoning business in the state and going by the current figures, definitely shows the potentiality of an industry. The gamut of services offered, the employment generated, the bucks raked in, and the ever-growing popularity of this vocation, all point to the immense scope of this occupation. According to a survey, Bihar’s coaching market is estimated to be worth hundreds of crores and growing at an estimated 20 per cent. And while coaching as an industry has crossed the Rs 10,000 crore mark in the country, a more than proportional part of it is in Bihar’s kitty.
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