Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech today, August 15, 2026, announced a major initiative aimed at students preparing for competitive examinations. The announcement comes amid growing concerns after the rising cost of private coaching and the financial pressure it places on families, particularly those from the poor and middle-income sections.The Prime Minister’s announcement also comes against the backdrop of student protests in Delhi over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, once again putting the spotlight on India’s competitive examination system and the intense pressure faced by young aspirants.
PM Modi announces free online coaching in Independence Day speech
Addressing the nation from the Red Fort, PM Modi said the government would provide free online coaching for various competitive examinations. He said the initiative was aimed at helping young people prepare for high-stakes exams without having to spend large sums on private coaching.PM Modi acknowledged that the growing coaching culture had become a financial burden for middle-class families. He said parents often feel compelled to enrol their children in coaching institutes because of the fear that they would otherwise fall behind their peers.The Prime Minister said the government wanted to help poor and middle-class families save the thousands of crores of rupees they spend on costly coaching every year.
‘Competition surrounding coaching classes has become a huge burden’
PM Modi highlighted the social pressure surrounding coaching, saying parents increasingly believe that sending their children to a coaching centre has become almost unavoidable.He said the competition around coaching classes had turned into a burden for middle-class families, with parents fearing that not joining a coaching institute could put their children at a disadvantage.The proposed free online coaching initiative is intended to break that cycle by giving students access to preparation resources without requiring families to bear the cost of private coaching.
Government to use digital infrastructure, teachers
The Prime Minister said India already has the digital public infrastructure required to take such an initiative to students across the country. He also pointed to the availability of highly qualified teachers and educators who can contribute to online learning.The government plans to use these existing strengths to provide coaching support for different competitive examinations, potentially allowing students to prepare from their homes rather than moving to major coaching centres.
Students can prepare without leaving their families
PM Modi also stressed that young people should have the opportunity to remain close to their families while preparing for competitive examinations.At present, students from smaller towns and villages often move to cities known for coaching, adding accommodation, food and travel expenses to an already expensive preparation process. Free online classes could reduce some of these additional costs if they are made widely accessible.However, the success of the initiative will depend on more than simply making classes available online. Students will also require dependable internet connectivity, quality teaching, updated study material, regular tests and effective doubt-resolution mechanisms.
Coaching economy under renewed scrutiny
The news has come in a context where there have been growing concerns regarding India’s coaching system. Competitive exams like the ones in medical and engineering institutions, as well as university entrance and civil service examinations, have become very competitive, forcing the majority of students to go for private coaching.However, among poor families, this could be quite costly for the students, especially if they have to do repeated exams. Accessing coaching has raised questions as to whether financial capability is becoming one of the critical factors in competitive exams.By offering free online coaching, the government has tried to bridge this gap. However, how the government will implement this decision will determine its success or failure.
