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Can free public technology break India’s coaching industry?

Argument

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to offer free online coaching for competitive exams has opened a debate over whether public digital tools can really weaken India’s private coaching industry. In a conversation, Buddha Chandrasekhar and Anubhav Shrivastava agree the problem is bigger than access: students need structured practice, feedback, mentoring and exam-specific preparation, not just free videos.

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Assessment

Chandrasekhar argues that India’s digital public infrastructure, along with AI-based tools, can create a personalised, low-cost alternative that reaches students beyond elite coaching centres. Shrivastava pushes back that the government will fail if it simply uploads lectures, because coaching succeeds through weekly tests, doubt-solving and tightly designed exam preparation. Both accept that school curricula and competitive exams demand different skills, but they disagree on how far a common public platform can go.

Limits

Chandrasekhar says the model should be hybrid, with online classes backed by physical skill hubs and human mentoring, because students still need in-person guidance.

Shrivastava says a single common stack for many exams would dilute quality, and that JEE and NEET need separate, dedicated platforms.

Updated 21 Aug 2026
Sources (1)
  • The Hindu: Can free public technology break the private coaching industry?
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