Teaching or Trading: How Kashmir’s Classrooms Are Becoming Cashrooms

By Gowher Bhat 

The banners are everywhere—bright colors, bold letters, stretching across walls and stuck on poles. “Your Child, the Next Doctor or Engineer!” they promise. The same message, year after year, with the same words, same colors, and the same promises. 

The streets of Kashmir are littered with these declarations of success. Coaching centers spring up like mushrooms after the rain, each one claiming to hold the secret formula to academic excellence. Desperate and hopeful parents pour their hard-earned money into these institutions, believing that the right tutor can unlock their child’s future.

What begins as a hopeful pursuit of knowledge soon turns into a business—a highly profitable one. According to the Times of India, Indian families collectively spend approximately ₹25,000 crore annually on private tuitions. While precise regional figures remain limited, the financial burden is keenly felt in Kashmir. Many families go to extreme lengths—selling land, jewelry, or taking loans—just to pay the exorbitant coaching fees. The promise of success comes at a devastating cost.

Inside cramped classrooms, students sit elbow to elbow, their faces buried in books. The air is thick with anxiety and chalk dust. Teachers, often underqualified but marketed as “experts,” rattle off formulas and shortcuts. Understanding concepts takes a backseat; rote memorization rules the day. The syllabus is a mountain to climb, and the climb is brutal. Students juggle piles of notes, revision schedules, and mock tests. The goal is never genuine learning; it’s about cracking the entrance exams.

And the stakes are high. One wrong answer, one low score, and dreams crumble. Coaching centers know this well. They don’t sell education. They sell dreams—packaged, polished, and tied with the promise of success. Fees skyrocket, and scholarship programs are reduced to mere advertisements. For every “topper” they showcase, there are countless others who have been left behind—drained of both money and confidence. But this crisis brings forth a critical question: Why do students even need private coaching when we have qualified government school teachers?

The Neglect of Government Schools

Government teachers are selected through rigorous exams, proving their merit and dedication. They undergo systematic training and are often more qualified than the teachers in private coaching centers, who fail to make it through the competitive selection process. Government teachers are the cream of the crop—individuals who earn their positions through hard work and expertise.

So why are parents still rushing to expensive coaching centers instead of trusting the educators in government schools? Is it because government teachers aren’t teaching well? Or is it a reflection of a system that fails to support and motivate them? 

Meanwhile, coaching centers lure students with air-conditioned rooms, digital screens, and flashy marketing campaigns. But are these superficial comforts worth the price families pay—both financially and emotionally?

The Toll on Mental Health

The cost of coaching centers isn’t merely financial. The psychological toll on students and their families is devastating. Psychologists across India raise concerns about the mental health impact of the relentless pressure to succeed. 

In cities like Kota, known as India’s coaching capital, 23 student suicides were reported in 2023 alone. The hyper-competitive environment, coupled with unrealistic expectations, often leads to anxiety, depression, and burnout.

Mental health experts warn that students enrolled in coaching centers are at a higher risk of developing:

Chronic Stress and Anxiety: Continuous pressure to perform leads to emotional exhaustion.

Depression: Fear of failure and self-doubt become pervasive.

Suicidal Ideation: Tragically, some students see no way out.

Parents, too, suffer emotionally and financially. The guilt of not being able to provide “the best” for their children weighs heavily on them. The societal expectation to produce doctors and engineers only amplifies this stress.

Steps Towards Reform

However, change is not impossible. Sakina Itoo, Minister for School Education and Higher Education, is already altering the equations. Already, 594 lecturer posts in 27 disciplines were referred for recruitment to address teacher shortages. 

Moreover, 4,358 schools are merged to optimize resources. Schools are being shifted from rented spaces to permanent buildings for better infrastructure.

These efforts are commendable, but further reforms are needed to break the monopoly of coaching centers. We need to learn from Himachal Pradesh, our neighbouring state that has introduced a free coaching program for 6,800 students to reduce the financial burden and promote equitable access to quality education. Policymakers must prioritize such models to uplift public education in Kashmir.

A Call for Change

The education crisis in Kashmir isn’t just about cash machines disguised as coaching centers. It’s about reclaiming the essence of learning. It’s about giving students the freedom to explore, question, and create. Because true success isn’t measured by ranks and scores—it’s found in curiosity, resilience, and the courage to follow one’s path.

Perhaps it’s time the banners said something different: “Your Child, the Next Dreamer. Thinker. Changemaker.“

And maybe then, the streets would look a little brighter—not just with colors and bold letters, but with the promise of a generation free to dream beyond the labels forced upon them.

• Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer
  
  – Gowher Bhat is a Pulwama based writer and English language instructor.

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