Draft rules moot coaching centre infrastructure boost, SC seeks states' reply

The Supreme Court has drafted model rules for coaching centers, emphasizing safety measures like fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, and flood prevention. The rules also mandate student counselors, helplines, grievance cells, ICCs, medical facilities, proper lighting and ventilation, safe drinking water, CCTV, and separate toilets. States are reviewing the proposed rules.

Supreme Court Installation of fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and automatic sprinkler system, flood prevention mechanism including elevating the floor level are part of the draft model rules for coaching centres framed at insistence of SC to prevent instances such as death of three civil services aspirants by drowning at a Delhi coaching centre during rains. The measures include employing full-time student counsellor, creation of a helpline to address students' concerns, grievance redressal cell and ICC to decide complaints of sexual harassment, provision of medical facilities, sufficient lighting, ventilation, safe drinking water, CCTV coverage & separate toilets for men, women & transgenders. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday sought responses from states to the rules crafted by amicus curiae Sidharth Dave.

The amicus told the court that he has circulated the model rules for private coaching institutes to the states through their counsel..