Lucknow: Thousands of aspirants preparing for competitive examinations such as UPSC, NEET and JEE have been left in uncertainty after the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) sealed several coaching centres for violating building and fire safety norms. The action has disrupted classes and raised concerns among students, with lakhs of rupees paid in fees now at stake.While some coaching institutes did not inform students about the closure and simply locked their premises, several others that were sealed have shifted to the online mode. More than 100 coaching centres were either sealed or opted to shut down following the development authority’s action.Several coaching centres in areas such as Gomti Nagar, Hazratganj, Lalbagh and Indira Nagar were shut without prior notice. Students reached their institutes only to find them locked.“We were not informed about anything. Our classes just stopped suddenly. We called the manager, and he said classes would not be held until further notice,” said Radhika Malhotra, a student at a coaching institute near Hahnemann Chauraha in Gomti Nagar.Rivibha Singh, a student at a coaching centre in Hazratganj, said there was no prior notification about the closure and that when she reached the institute, it was shut. She added that the manager was not responding to calls, and students later learned that classes were suspended until further notice.Saraswina Gupta, a student from Lalbagh, said, “When I reached the coaching centre, there was no notice and the gate was locked. Later, the manager said it was closed and would reopen later.”While some institutes have shifted to online classes, students say the transition has not been smooth. Many face issues such as poor internet connectivity, unclear video quality and lack of proper devices.“The video quality is very poor. We cannot understand diagrams properly,” said Aditya Sharma, a JEE aspirant from Gomti Nagar.Another student from Indira Nagar, Aashika Prabhu, said, “I attend classes on my phone. It is difficult to follow long sessions, and there is no proper interaction with teachers.”Parents are now worried about refunds and the continuation of studies.“We paid around Rs 2 lakh for my son’s coaching in Gomti Nagar. Now there is no clarity on refunds or classes,” said Amitabh Srivastava, a parent.Sunita Singh, whose daughter attends a coaching centre in Hazratganj, said students are facing difficulties due to the sudden closure. While safety is necessary, institutes should have informed parents in advance and ensured compliance with fire safety norms.Another parent, Anil Gupta from Indira Nagar, said, “Fees are high, but basic safety and planning are missing. Both authorities and institutes must ensure students are not affected like this.”(With inputs from Varun and Mariyam)
