The other Kotas

As exam competition intensifies, coaching hubs are sprouting across small towns and tiertwo cities such as Sikar in Rajasthan, Akola in Maharashtra, and Patna, Bihar

- Sheena Sachdeva

When Sonal Sharma* moved to Sikar from neighbouring Jhunjhunu in 2019 to finish school while preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG), the small, provincial town in Rajasthan had only about six-seven coaching institutes and 10-12 hostels.

"Over the last five years, 10-20 more coaching institutes have come up and around 30-40 new hostels," she said. Most of the coaching institutions are located on the eastern edge of the town, on Piprali Road that connects Sikar town to the next one, Piprali. Set 121 km from the state capital Jaipur, and even farther from India's bustling coaching hub, Kota, Sikar is emerging as another major coaching hub and in the same pattern.

The first centre, Career Line Coaching (CLC) opened in 1996. Another Sikar major, Gurukripa Institute, came up in 2008. But most of the action happened over the past few years. Several Kota-origin stalwarts, including Unacademy, DS Institute, and Physics Wallah's Vidyapeeth & Paathshala, have set up centres here; the last came up just six months ago. Allen Career Institute and Matrix JEE Academy have centres here too.

"When I joined the institute in 2021, there were far fewer students and teachers focused on every student in the class. But now with an increase in aspirants, the city in the last two years has seen a sudden rise in students preparing for NEET," added Sharma. "When we see large crowds of students ushered in for tests and get stressed even after preparing for months." Sharma was unable to qualify in 2023 and appeared for NEET 2024.

"In April, every year, you can see a sudden increase in the flow of families bringing their children for admissions. But you will mostly find students from nearby areas like Fatehpur, Madhopur, Neem-Ka-Thana and nearby areas of Rajasthan," said the owner of s juice stall on Piprali road.

Beyond Kota