Monday, 04 October 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
With the increase in vaccinations against Covid-19 and fewer numbers of Covid positive patients being found every day, the number of students joining coaching centres has increased in the past few weeks in Dehradun. According to coaching centre operators, the situation is not back to normal like the pre-Covid times but it has certainly improved compared to the last year and can be back to normal if the situation continues to be normal for the next six to eight months.
Pankaj Kumar Samrat of Alpha Beta Gamma Academy said that since most of the staff and students have been vaccinated against Covid-19, students have started to join the physical classes. The managing director of VR Classes, Vaibhav Rai said that most of the students prefer to join coaching classes involving physical rather than digital interaction with their teachers. He said that many have started to join the classes and many will arrive here soon from the mountainous areas of other districts in the state. “Students were initially scared due to the possible third wave of Covid-19 but they have overcome this fear. Many young adult students have started joining physical classes and more will possibly join soon to due to approaching exams like Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)” stated Rai.
However, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Achieverz Classes, Manu Pant said that there is no considerable change in the number of students but it might increase due to upcoming competitive exams. “The government has allowed classes in schools and colleges but many parents are still reluctant to send even their above 18 years old children for physical classes in coaching centres due to Covid-19. There is a slight increase in the number of students but it is not too significant. News like some students being found Covid-19 positive in certain schools or colleges makes students and their parents more reluctant to the physical classes,” stated Pant. However, he added that the number of students will possibly increase in the next few weeks due to upcoming competitive exams.
Meanwhile, the coaching centres’ operators also reveal that parents of underage students are still reluctant to send them for physical coaching classes. They stated that it will take some extra time for such parents to send their children back to physical classes as the vaccination for children against Covid is yet to start.
