In a significant policy shift, the district administration in Noida has placed student mental health at the core of education governance. Issuing a strict directive, officials have ordered enhanced oversight of coaching centres and educational institutions, moving well-being from the margins to the rulebook.
What the Noida Directive Mandates
District Magistrate Medha Roopam has instructed all institutions to ensure disciplined environments, regulated schedules, and adequate facilities to reduce academic stress. The order demands regular inspections to verify compliance with standards covering seating, cleanliness, fire safety, and emergency exits. A critical component is the adherence to stipulated class timings to prevent burnout.
Institutions are now required to appoint trained counsellors, conduct periodic staff training, and guarantee access to medical facilities. Mandatory psychological counselling sessions and prominent display of mental health helpline numbers are now part of the guidelines. Furthermore, coaching centres must form internal grievance committees and conduct awareness programmes for parents to help them identify early signs of stress in their children.
Surveillance and Stress Reduction Measures
To directly tackle academic pressure, institutions have been advised to revise examination patterns and actively promote sports, yoga, art, and other extracurricular activities. In a move aimed at ensuring discipline and safety, CCTV cameras with audio systems have been made compulsory in all coaching centres.
District Inspector of Schools Rajesh Kumar Singh clarified that the order applies to all coaching institutes, hostels, and educational institutions with over 100 students. They have been given a 15-day deadline to comply, after which their reports will be reviewed. Singh warned that non-compliance could lead to suspension or cancellation of registrations, with the education, health, and police departments coordinating enforcement.
A National Reckoning on Coaching Culture
Noida's crackdown is not an isolated move but part of a growing national concern. Earlier this year, a parliamentary standing committee initiated a review of the rapid expansion of coaching centres, spurred by rising student suicides linked to academic pressure. The committee is examining the proliferation of these institutes and the existing legislation governing them.
The scrutiny often falls on cities like Kota, India's coaching capital, which has reported numerous student suicides over the years. This backdrop led Rajasthan to pass the Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill in September 2025, which awaits implementation. Similarly, the Union Education Ministry has formed a nine-member expert committee to study the coaching culture, dummy schools, and the fairness of entrance exams.
The collective action signals a pivotal change: coaching centres, long operating as private academic spaces with minimal oversight, are now being formally integrated into the regulatory framework for student welfare. While mental health has firmly entered policy discourse, the true test will be whether this focus translates into sustained, on-ground change beyond committee reviews and compliance deadlines.
