Meerut coaching centres allege ‘selective’ crackdown, submit demands to administration

Meerut: Coaching institute and library owners in Meerut on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the divisional commissioner, alleging “selective action” against educational centres amid the intensified safety crackdown following the recent fire tragedy in Lucknow.As per the association, 57 coaching centres have been sealed in the district so far, while nearly 150 others have been affected by inspections and enforcement proceedings. They claimed the action has disrupted the studies of thousands of students and threatened the livelihood of teachers and support staff.The delegation said it supported strict enforcement of fire and safety norms but demanded a uniform policy for all commercial establishments operating from the same buildings.

They argued that if a structure violates safety standards, action should not be limited to coaching centres and libraries.Shivam Kumar, who runs a coaching institute in Meerut, said, “Different agencies are giving different directions. We have sought clarity.” He added that operators needed time to fix structural shortcomings and should be allowed to run classes with fewer students in the interim. “Students will suffer if institutes are shut completely,” he said.

The association also urged the administration to publish a verified list of buildings with valid no-objection certificates (NOCs).Coaching centre owners further demanded adequate notice before sealing or closure, alleging that several institutes were given only a few hours to vacate, leaving little time to remove records, computers, furniture or cash.Urging officials to ensure that students’ education was not affected, the association said the Lucknow fire tragedy should not lead to all institutes being viewed with suspicion.