After Docs Pvt Practice Ban Bihar Bars Teachers From Tuition Coaching

government school teachers, not the first time though.

The objective of both is the same - to ensure that doctors and teachers devote their full time and attention to serving government institutions they are employed with and for which they are paid.

While the implementation of the rule made in April, 2026 for doctors is yet to take place due to hurdles on the way, the education department has warned violating teachers of strict disciplinary action for breaching the code of conduct if they were found engaged in private coaching and tuition.

In a letter to all district education officers (DEOs), director (secondary education) Sajjan R has said written that teachers found engaged in commercial activities like tuition or coaching would face strong disciplinary action.

“Ensure compliance that no teacher is engaged in tuition, coaching or other commercial educating activities, as it affects teaching in schools. Any teacher found engaged in such activities will be seen as breach of the code of conduct,” he added in what is being viewed as an extension to the order to prevent coaching institutes from running with regular students during school hours.

This is, however, not the first time the education department has taken a serious view of government school teachers engaged anywhere in commercial activities. Many of them have also been found missing from schools and dodging the biometric attendance system by marking their presence from several kilometres away.

The 2023 ASER had also flagged poor attendance in schools and high prevalence of private tuition, which was then nearly 2.5 times the national average and pointed to lack of quality education in the government schools, though its prevalence was also found among private school students.

In 2024 also, the education department had decided to crack down on government school teachers who take classes in private coaching institutions and asked all DMs and DEOs to inspect all schools at least twice a week.

Instructions were given to immediately deduct the salary of teachers who are absent without reason and sought the list of teachers engaged with private coaching, tuition or other activities for action, as the department has received complaints regarding this.

Now, the government has again woken up to check teachers’ engagement beyond schools after forged attendance marked by them also surfaced from some districts amid reports that many of them were engaged with private coaching and tuition.

“The government should stick to the earlier announcement of mandatory 75% attendance for availing various incentive schemes and taking board exams and implement it effectively. They were later diluted, but once honest attendance becomes compulsory, everything will fall in line. Compliance of attendance regulation will be easier through regular inspection, strengthening of school management committees and accountability of headmasters,” said JD(U) MLC from Kosi teachers’ constituency Sanjiv Kumar Singh.

A senior academician, who did not want to be quoted, said that mushrooming coaching institutes were a manifestation of unmet needs of students due to huge gap between the school/college curriculum and requirements of competitive exams. “The alignment is not there and that needs the focus. Unless the schools are wanted by students and teachers alike, search for alternatives will never die,” he added.

Ahead of 2025 elections, Bihar government had in March last year scrapped the 75% attendance rule, allowing students to receive uniform and bicycle benefits at the beginning of the academic year itself, sparking political debate. Earlier, students had to maintain 75% attendance by September 30 every year to qualify for financial incentives. In board exams also, there have been several instances of students enrolled with coaching institutes in Kota or elsewhere taking the board exams.

“Education is too serious a matter to witness positive change within a short span of time with a couple of bureaucratic orders. The government should take a comprehensive view. It requires passion and devotion, which can come only through conducive environment, trust, capability and facilities. Just by wishing change or putting the blame on teachers, it cannot come. If schools don’t deliver, students and parents will remain in search of other options -- good or bad,” said Col (retired) BB Singh, a founding member of the Simultala Education Society.

Arun Kumar is Senior Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He has spent two-and-half decades covering Bihar, including politics, educational and social issues.