Coaching centres are turning into poaching hubs warns Vice-President Dhankhar

India Today

7 hours ago

Addressing the 4th Convocation Ceremony of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Kota, Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar raised deep concern over the growing influence of coaching centres in the education system. Describing them as 'poaching centres' and 'black holes for talent,' he warned that these institutes, driven by commercial goals, are derailing the spirit of learning by forcing students into narrow, exam-centric silos.advertisementHe pointed out how the obsession with perfect grades and standardised test scores is stifling creativity and curiosity in young minds. 'We are creating intellectual zombies, not original thinkers. "Cramming culture has replaced understanding and reflection,' he remarked. Dhankhar stressed that coaching centres have begun to act counter to the National Education Policy (NEP), which promotes holistic, experiential, and skill-based learning.Coaching centres have turned out to be poaching centres. They have become black holes for talent in regimented silos.Coaching centres are mushrooming. This is menacing for our youth who are our future.We must address this malice that is worrisomely concerning. We cannot pic.twitter.com/QPZXoEUuT3— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) July 12, 2025TRANSFORM COACHING INFRASTRUCTURE INTO SKILL CENTRESThe Vice-President urged coaching centres to pivot from their current path and utilise their infrastructure to serve as skill development hubs. Citing the ancient Indian tradition of Gurukuls, he underlined that the transmission of knowledge was never meant to be transactional or mechanical. 'Our Constitution even depicts a Gurukul—a symbol of our belief in the noble sharing of knowledge,' he said.
Encouraging civil society and education stakeholders to reflect on the urgent need for reform, he added, 'We must end this assembly-line culture that turns students into products, not thinkers.'SOVEREIGNITY IN THE DIGITAL AGEIn his wide-ranging speech, Dhankhar also touched on issues beyond education—particularly India's digital sovereignty. 'We may not lose our independence through invasions anymore, but through dependence on foreign digital infrastructure,' he said, noting how modern warfare has moved from land and sea to realms like code, cloud, and cyber.He emphasised the importance of building indigenous digital tools that are inclusive and locally relevant. 'An app that doesn't work in rural India isn't smart enough. An AI model that ignores regional languages is incomplete,' he stated.PATRIOTISM IN THE ERA OF INNOVATIONFraming technological leadership as a new form of patriotism, the Vice-President called upon India's youth to take the lead in shaping the nation's digital future. 'India cannot remain a passive consumer of borrowed technology. We must rise as architects of our own digital destiny,' he said.Highlighting the role of India's coders, AI engineers, and blockchain innovators, he said these professionals are modern-day nation-builders. We used to wait decades for technology. Today, the gap is only a matter of weeks. That is our opportunity,' he said.RECLAIMING CURIOSITY AND CREATIVITY IN EDUCATIONadvertisementTouching on mental health concerns, he warned that the pressure of hyper-competitive coaching environments can lead to psychological issues. 'Students spend years being moulded into machines. Their independent thinking is stymied,' he noted. He reminded students that their grades will not define them in the real world; it's their ability to think, innovate and solve problems that will shape their future.As a parting message, Vice-President Dhankhar made a passionate appeal to the youth: build Bharatiya systems for Bharatiya users and globalize them. He called on students to create tools that serve not just India, but inspire and empower the world.(With inputs from PIB)- EndsMust Watch