The Coaching Factory (ICC Blog #98)

Creatively designed by Dr Sp Mishra

With the release of the JEE Advanced results, newspapers are prominently featuring them. The successful candidates become representatives for various coaching institutes, drawing in new aspirants for the next admission cycle. Each year, over 15 million students prepare for competitive exams, making test preparation a highly profitable educational business. The industry is expanding at a rate of over 15% annually, driven by increasing parental spending, urbanisation, and the emergence of hybrid and online learning models. As reported by media and credible sources, India's coaching industry is a vast sector, propelled by fierce competition for entrance exams such as JEE, NEET, UPSC, and CAT. In 2024, the overall coaching market in India was valued at USD 6.50 billion and is expected to reach USD 17.40 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 10.40%.

Since the JEE Advanced results are now available, let’s analyse the data.

In JEE Main 2025, a total of 13.11 lakh candidates registered for the January session, with 12.58 lakh appearing for the exam. The April session saw slightly fewer new registrations, but the total number of candidates across both sessions is expected to reach around 14 lakh. This increase reflects the growing competition for engineering seats in India. Those who don’t qualify for JEE Advanced often aim for admission into the 59,937 seats across NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

For JEE Advanced 2025, 1,80,422 candidates appeared for the exam, with 54,378 qualifying. These candidates will compete for approximately 18,000 undergraduate engineering seats across 23 IITs. The competition remains fierce, with only about one in three qualified candidates securing a seat through JoSAA counselling.

So, as an aspirant or a parent, one should understand the probability:

• The chance of securing one of the 18,000 IIT seats in 2025 is approximately 1.28%.

• The chance of gaining admission into one of the 54,000 NIT, IIIT, or GFTI seats stands at 3.88%.

  
  

What Does a Coaching Institute Do?

Thanks to the frenzy surrounding entrance exams, where everyone aspires to become a top computer science engineer or a renowned doctor, coaching institutes attract countless students eager for guidance.

For two years, students practice solving problems and answering questions based on historical patterns in these exams. Repeated training helps them build confidence, sharpen problem-solving skills, and enhance creative thinking. Since entrance exams often introduce new, unpredictable elements, only a few students develop the ability to navigate such challenges effectively.

The large-scale enrollment in coaching institutes allows them to benefit from economies of scale. However, when joining a coaching centre, students and parents should ask about its success rate. Institutes rarely disclose how many students succeed compared to total enrollments, primarily because the success percentage is usually only 1% to 6%, depending on the institute’s location and training type. Instead, they showcase lists of top-ranking students at the national level, masking the true performance of individual centres.

How Can Students & Parents Make an Informed Decision?

If you are a student completing 10th grade and considering coaching for a specific career path, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Have you consistently been among the top 10 students in your school?

   • If yes, there is a good chance you might excel in the high-pressure environment of competitive exams.

   • If not, the journey will be significantly more challenging—not impossible, but requiring a realistic approach.

2. Are you genuinely passionate about engineering, medicine, or your chosen field?

   • Choose a career because you love it, not because your friends are pursuing it.

   • Passion sustains motivation through the gruelling entrance exam process.

3. Are you prepared to dedicate several hours daily to studying and practising?

   • Most successful candidates emphasise the long hours they committed to preparation.

4. Are you aware of the statistical chances of success?

   • Your chances of securing an IIT seat are just 1.28%.

   • For an MBBS seat, the odds are 1 in 21.

   • Success requires mental toughness, problem-solving skills, time management, and creativity.

5. Do you understand that entrance exams are only the first hurdle?

   • Every year, 8.5 lakh engineers and 1 lakh doctors graduate in India.

   • Securing admission into a good undergraduate program is just the beginning of an even more competitive career journey.

As parents, don’t force your child to get into the rat race if you think she or he may not satisfy the above conditions. Not becoming an engineer or doctor is not the end of the world. Several wonderful career opportunities can help your child succeed in the future. So, developing this understanding as a parent is very important. Wherever in doubt, take the support of domain experts, career counsellors who can provide very useful insights in the process of decision making. I hope you will find this information useful to prepare mentally for the career journey ahead.