#News | The Assam Cabinet has approved the “Assam Private Coaching Institutions (Regulation and Protection of Students’ Ment@l Health) Rules, 2026”, aimed at bringing private coaching institutions under a comprehensive regulatory framework. The proposed rules seek to prioritise student safety, ment@l health and accountability in the coaching sector.
Under the new framework, coaching institutions with 50 or more students will be required to register. Every institution will also have to adopt a ment@l health policy, while institutions with 100 or more students will be required to appoint a full-time qualified counsellor. Smaller institutions will have to maintain an appropriate referral mechanism, and staff members will receive regular ment@l health training.
The rules also propose grievance redressal mechanisms against r@gging, har@ssment, ment@l ab#se and negl*ct of students’ ment@l health. Public hum!liation, segreg@tion of batches based on performance and creation of unrealistic academic pressure will be proh!bited, while special care will be required for comparatively weaker students. Mandatory safety standards will also apply to coaching buildings and hostels.
The government said the regulations are intended to ensure that coaching institutions contribute to the development of young people without becoming sources of excessive pressure, fe@r or ment@l d!stress. District-level monitoring and strict penalties for v!olations are also proposed, with the government aiming to create a safer, more humane and accountable coaching environment in Assam.
