The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a statewide drive against unregistered coaching institutes and ordered safety audits of all registered coaching centres. The move comes amid growing concerns about student safety and the need for stricter regulation of the rapidly expanding coaching sector following the devastating fire at an animation coaching centre in Lucknow, killing 15 youths.
On Tuesday, 23rd June, Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay said that all District Magistrates (DMs) across the state have been directed to conduct a detailed survey of coaching institutes operating in their respective districts. The administrations have been asked to prepare a complete list of coaching centres and identify those functioning without proper registration.
According to the instructions issued by the Higher Education Department, coaching institutes operating without registration under the Uttar Pradesh Coaching Regulation Act, 2002, will face action as per the provisions of the law. The government wants to ensure that all coaching centres follow the rules and operate in a transparent manner.
The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a statewide drive to regulate coaching institutes and ensure student safety. District administrations have been directed to identify illegal centres and inspect registered ones for compliance.@iSamarthS #UttarPradesh…
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) June 24, 2026
Along with the survey, registered coaching institutes will also undergo inspections to check whether they are meeting required safety and infrastructure standards. Officials will examine building safety, fire safety arrangements, electrical systems and other basic facilities available to students.
“Students’ safety and quality education cannot be compromised. The government is committed to ensuring discipline, transparency and accountability in the education sector,” Upadhyay said.
The minister added that the state government is working to create a safe, organised and reliable educational environment for students preparing for competitive examinations and higher education. He said the interests of students and parents remain the government’s top priority and that all coaching institutes must comply with prescribed standards.
Officials said the exercise will be carried out through coordination between multiple government departments to ensure effective implementation. A formal communication regarding the drive was issued by Special Secretary (Higher Education) Nidhi Srivastava, directing DMs to identify unregistered coaching centres and ensure compliance with the law.
The letter also stated that regular inspections of registered coaching institutes will continue in the future. These inspections will focus on student safety measures, infrastructure quality and administrative arrangements as part of the government’s effort to strengthen oversight of the coaching industry across Uttar Pradesh.
In the meantime, doctors said on Wednesday that all victims of the Lucknow fire incident succumbed to suffocation after inhaling large quantities of smoke, not flames. The post-mortem examinations confirmed that toxic fumes were the primary cause of death, not burn injuries.
“The post-mortem examination has revealed that all 15 victims died due to suffocation caused by smoke inhalation. No major burn injuries or grievous external wounds were found that could be attributed as the direct cause of death,” a senior doctor involved in the examinations told the media.
The blaze broke out on Monday at an animation coaching centre in a three-storey commercial building in Lucknow’s Aliganj area. Owners of the building have been arrested over violation of safety norms. An SIT has been formed to investigate the tragic incident.
