JAIPUR: Kota witnessed a ‘blockbuster’ opening of its lifeline coaching institutes after a gap of nine months on Monday.
Data corroborated from different sources said that over 25,000 students have enrolled for the offline classes in the last week alone. The institutes were closed since the lockdown was announced on March 22, which crippled the economy of the city. The coaching areas — New Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Indira Vihar, Talwandi, Jawahar Nagar and Landmark City, were abuzz with activities.
Every coaching institute welcomed its students in a traditional style by offering prayers and applying vermilion on their foreheads. “Our complexes have come alive with students returning. As per the guidelines, we have started classes with 50% strength and all complexes had full attendance on Day 1,” said Nitesh Kumar Sharma, marketing manager of a coaching major in Kota.
It comes as a surprise for the coaching institutes to see students walking in from far-off states like the North East and down South. Harshita Kumari of Bihar was among the first to step in her institute at 7.30am to attend her 8am class. “It was an emotional moment for me to re-attend the physical classes after seven months. I had left Kota during the evacuation of students in May and happy to return,” said Kumari, who is in class XI and here to prepare for JEE.
The second-biggest stakeholders, hostel owners, have taken a sigh of relief to see their rooms occupied by students. Manish Jain, who runs a 65-bed hostel at Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, is elated to have majority of his slots occupied. “I have been monitoring students round-the-clock by myself. Sanitising the entire compound twice along with providing food in the rooms to ensure that students feel safe and secure,” said Jain.
The entire city has left no stone unturned to provide safe, secure and all possible facilities to students. The market associations tied up balloons and welcomed students by providing discounts. Also, the most surprising part is the appearance of roadside vendors who were missing since the lockdown. The report says that stakeholders in Kota — coaching institutes, hostels, transporters, canteens, lifestyle businesses and real estate agents, have generated employment in both formal and informal sector to 10,000 people.