The Andhra Pradesh government has released the draft Andhra Pradesh Coaching Institutions (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2026, proposing sweeping changes to how private coaching centres function in the state. Announcing the draft, Nara Lokesh, Minister for Human Resources Development, invited public feedback and said the mental health, safety, and overall well-being of students remain the top priority.
The proposed rules seek to reduce academic pressure, bring transparency in operations, and hold institutions accountable, with strict penalties for violations.
In a significant move aimed at curbing “dummy school” culture, the draft rules prohibit coaching centres from conducting classes during standard school or junior college hours prescribed by recognised education authorities.
Students enrolled in regular schools or junior colleges will not be allowed to attend coaching during those hours.
Additionally, coaching hours cannot exceed five hours per day, and institutions must provide a mandatory weekly day off on Sundays. The rules also advise spacing out weekly tests to avoid undue stress around holidays.
No public display of marks or ranks
To prevent public shaming and unhealthy peer comparison, coaching institutes will not be allowed to display students’ marks, ranks, or names on notice boards or websites.
Assessment results must be communicated privately to students and parents. The draft also clearly states that institutions must not discriminate against poor-performing students and instead provide additional support to help them improve.
Story continues below this ad
Dedicated wellness cells, mandatory mental health screening
A major focus of the draft rules is student mental health. Every coaching institution will be required to establish a Wellness Cell by signing a formal MoU with a local hospital or psychologist and appointing trained faculty mentors.
Key responsibilities under the draft rules include:
–Mandatory mental health screening within 30 days of admission
–Peer mentorship programmes
–Monthly de-stress workshops involving parents
–Conducting prescribed psychometric assessments
Institutions must also maintain separate and strictly confidential psychological records, accessible only to authorised mental health professionals and the head of the institution. Teaching and non-teaching staff cannot access such records without written consent from the student and guardian.
Monthly wellness reports to district authorities
The draft rules mandate that every coaching institution prepare a ‘Monthly Wellness Report’ and an ‘Annual Mental Health Audit Report’, which must be submitted to the District Level Monitoring Committee (DLMC) through a designated portal.
The reports are required to contain anonymised data such as the number of counselling interventions conducted, students referred to psychiatrists or hospitals, and the most common stress factors identified, including academic pressure or homesickness. Institutions are also required to disclose details of sensitisation workshops conducted for staff and parents.
Story continues below this ad
Mandatory website disclosures to prevent misleading claims
To improve transparency, the draft rules make it compulsory for every coaching institution to maintain a functional website with key disclosures. This includes the academic qualifications of each faculty member, the carpet area per student in classrooms and hostels, and the detailed fee structure along with the refund policy.
Importantly, institutions must also publish their actual success rate for the past three years, clearly mentioning the number of students enrolled versus those who secured selections.
Fee transparency and refund within 10 days
The draft rules place strong emphasis on fair financial practices. Coaching institutions will be required to clearly declare tuition and hostel fees in their prospectus as well as on their website, leaving little room for ambiguity.
If a student withdraws midway through a course, the institution must refund the remaining fee on a pro-rata basis within 10 days of receiving the request. Any clause in the admission form stating that fees are non-refundable will be treated as void.
Story continues below this ad
The rules also prohibit withholding original academic certificates to enforce fee payment — a practice that has been widely criticised by parents in the past.
