Sikar: Sikar in Rajasthan has a new buzzword: ‘700 paar ki bharmar’ or a surplus of 700. This phrase is emblazoned on hoardings, pamphlets, and posters pasted on electric poles, tree trunks, and walls. Sikar is celebrating its NEET-UG 2024 success, and it’s now gunning to topple Kota as India’s top coaching factory. This year, 6.8 per cent of government medical seats will go to candidates from Sikar. It has grabbed the national attention.
“I want both my sons to become doctors. My relatives suggested Kota, but due to the suicides and high cost of living there, I chose Sikar,” said Mohammad Sharif, who travelled 250 km from Nuh in Haryana to enroll his children in a Sikar coaching institute. He nurses a cup of tea in a waiting hall at Gurukripa Career Institute, which could give a five-star restaurant a run for its money.
For decades, Kota’s coaching institutes were the ‘gold standard’ for competitive exam preparation. Each year, over two lakh students from across India flock to this high-stress, pressure-cooker city. However, recent years have seen Kota’s reputation tarnished by a rise in student suicides, paving the way for Sikar’s ascent.
I want both my sons to become doctors. My relatives suggested Kota, but due to the suicides and high cost of living there, I chose Sikar
— Mohammad Sharif, from Nuh in Haryana
This little-known town, which remained in the shadow of Jaipur and Kota, now boasts the highest number of students (149) scoring over 700 out of 720 in the NEET-UG exam, compared to Kota’s 74. In the 650+ score category, Sikar’s 2,037 candidates far exceed Kota’s 1,066. Sikar’s impressive ‘performance’ even featured in a Supreme Court hearing regarding the cancellation of this year’s NEET-UG exam. On Tuesday (24 July), the court rejected the retest petition, stating it was ‘not justified’.
“The NEET controversy has demoralised children and families. It will take a long time to recover from this,” said Sharif. Despite this, he is convinced that Sikar is the best place for his sons, with Gurukripa as his top choice.
The remarkable results from Sikar surprised everyone, including the coaching institutes. This is the first time the National Testing Agency (NTA) released a district-wise breakdown of student performances following a Supreme Court order.
“We did not know we were on top,” said Sahil Chaudhary, CEO of Coaching Line Centre, founded by his father in 1996.
Sikar boasts the highest number of students (149) scoring over 700 out of 720 in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, compared to Kota’s 74. In the 650+ score category, Sikar’s 2,037 candidates far exceed Kota’s 1,066.
Before the 2015 competitive examination boom, Sikar had only about six to seven coaching institutes. Today, there are as many as 20 concentrated in two neighbourhoods: Piprali Road and Nawalgarh Road. Big names like DS Institute, Aakash, Allen, CLC, Matrix, and Unacademy have set up centres in Sikar, attracting students from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and even the Northeast.
The city, known for its havelis, forts, and the Khatu Shyam temple, is shedding its quiet touristy avatar. However, Sikar residents and coaching centre operators don’t want to be compared to Kota. They resist the ‘mini Kota’ label.
The hoardings dominating the skyline declare Sikar as Coaching Nagri or Shiksha ki Kashi.
“The growth of Sikar is natural. Here, compared to Kota, Delhi, Jaipur, we give our students personal attention,” said Rajesh Kulhari, who launched Gurukripa Coaching Centre in 2006.
The next big coaching hub
If Gurukripa claims that 115 of the 149 high-scorers who crossed the 700-mark barrier were from their institute, other institutes are not far behind in touting their success. At the entrance of DS Institute, students in maroon t-shirts gaze at the massive yellow hoarding that reads, ‘Sikar mein pehla saal, pehla prayas, aur rach diya itihaas (First year, first attempt in Sikar, and history created).’
This is DSI’s way of declaring that though they are a new player, they have already made their mark in competitive exams.
Sikar, the city known for its havelis, forts, and the Khatu Shyam temple, is shedding its quiet touristy avatar. However, Sikar residents and coaching centre operators resist the ‘mini Kota’ label.
When chief managing director Pawan Chaudhary was looking to expand from Ganganagar city in Sawai Madhopur, Sikar was the obvious choice. Kota was saturated.
“Sikar is the market of education, and with this in mind, we started here,” he said. This year’s NEET results were their litmus test, and many students scored over 700 marks. Around 1,600 students are enrolled in DS Institute’s Sikar branch, which offers NEET and JEE coaching.
Institute heads like Sahil Chaudhary (Coaching Line Centre), Pawan, and Kulhari (Gurukripa) insist they are not replicating the ‘Kota model’. For one, the classes are smaller, with around 100-150 students. Teaching modules are designed keeping in mind that majority of students are from small towns and villages.
“Most children who come to Sikar are from rural backgrounds, and efforts are made to teach them in their own way. The coaching centres here are ‘less professional’ compared to Kota because we emphasise connecting with our students on a personal level,” said Pawan.
CLC, for instance, prefers to hire instructors from Sikar or nearby areas. “People from outside don’t connect with the children the way we do,” said Sahil Chaudhary. CLC’s tagline is: Shiksha, Sanskar, Suraksha, Safalta (Education, Culture, Security, Success).
Most children who come to Sikar are from rural backgrounds, and efforts are made to teach them in their own way. The coaching centres here are ‘less professional’ compared to Kota because we emphasise connecting with our students on a personal level
— Pawan Chaudhary, chief managing director, DS Institute
Even well-known brands like Physics Wala and Unacademy follow similar practices by holding smaller classes for more individual attention. Annual fees for most coaching centres range from Rs 1-1.10 lakh, with need-based scholarships. However, there are fears that a clamour for seats will see a rise in student intake and fees with an eye on profit.
“Currently, around 80,000 students are enrolled in NEET and IIT-JEE coaching classes. Many institutes also offer training for SSC exams and defense. In total, around one lakh students drive Sikar’s economy,” said Kulhari. He estimates that Sikar’s coaching economy is around Rs 2,000 crore, a third of Kota’s Rs 6,000 crore industry.
Sikar’s rise in the competitive exam ecosystem cannot be measured by recent results alone. The town has a strong school system and was the highest-performing district in school education, according to the Union Ministry of Education’s Performance Grading Index for Districts.
Allen, one of the top institutes, has opened a centre in Sikar as part of its regional expansion plan.
“Allen Sikar is a replica of Allen Kota. Whatever happens in Kota happens here,” said a senior faculty member who did not want to be named. He insists that Allen’s ‘arrival’ has brought about positive changes, including more professional teaching and improved quality hostel facilities. “We are getting more students from urban areas. Even so, it will take many years for Sikar to reach Kota’s level,” he said.
This city has changed in one decade. This area used to be deserted, and people were afraid to come here at night, but today it is always busy
— Mukesh Kumar, who runs Maharaja Boys Hostel in Sikar
Boom in Sikar economy
Piprali Road is the Mukerhjee Nagar of Sikar. Tea stalls, laundromats, and stationery stores rub shoulders with hostels, paying guest accommodations, and supermarkets. It’s always teeming with students who either have their nose buried in books or debating current affairs over cups of tea.
At Maharaja Boys Hostel, the cook prepared kadhi under a tree while students watched from the first floor. Mukesh Kumar decided to open the hostel when he saw the rise in coaching institutes. But food and lodging for the 24 students sharing 12 rooms isn’t cheap—he charges Rs 1 lakh a year, a little over Rs 8,000 a month.
“This city has changed in one decade. This area used to be deserted, and people were afraid to come here at night, but today it is always busy,” said Mukesh, who has a BEd from a college in Sikar but could not get a job.
“Now, we are getting employment from students. They are the identity of this city,” said Mukesh, who provides three meals a day. He estimates that there are anywhere between 3,000-5000 hostels in Sikar. Residents, too, are opening their homes to students for a price.
According to Sahil Chaudhary, this was unheard of in the past. “Today, rent is the main source of income for many families.”
New hotels are being built to accommodate the influx of students, especially after the NEET results, and land prices have skyrocketed.
Three years ago, land on Piprali Road was available for Rs 55,000 per yard. It has now reached Rs 1.5 lakh per yard
— Rahul Kumawat, property dealer
“Three years ago, land on Piprali Road was available for Rs 55,000 per yard. It has now reached Rs 1.5 lakh per yard,” said property dealer Rahul Kumawat.
However, the rest of the infrastructure has not kept pace with this booming industry. Poor connectivity, lack of streetlights and parks, and bad roads are just some of the issues coaching institute owners keep raising. These are basic amenities that any education hub needs. Only then will Sikar expand, said many coaching institute owners.
Fearing Kota, choosing Sikar
Vikas Meena from Rajasthan’s Tonk district was one of thousands of students who decided to skip Kota for Sikar to prepare for the NEET entrance examination. Vikas enrolled in Sikar in April this year, despite Tonk being closer to Kota. He shares his room with Brijesh from Alwar.
“Tonk is just 150 km away from Kota, but the deteriorating environment and expensive coaching there forced me to choose Sikar,” said Meena.
Both Vikas and Brijesh have brothers who studied in Sikar and recommended it for its less pressured environment compared to Kota.
“Sikar is in the emerging phase, so the quality and level of care is high. Kota is highly competitive, but here there is no such racing competition, which creates pressure on us. Less test frequency, regular motivational talks, student-teacher one-on-one interaction, and Sikar’s rurality makes this city pressureless,” said Brijesh.
Brijesh added that Kota frequently comes up in dinner table discussions, and it has become such a notorious name that few aspirants want to join there now.
“I am from a village, and I have seen my father struggle for my education. Despite the pressure, I have a responsibility, so suicide is not an option to lift my family out of backwardness. In Sikar, many students come from rural backgrounds and mostly share similar stories,” said the 17-year-old.
This year alone, 13 students have reportedly ended their lives in Kota. In 2023, the figure was as high as 26, causing widespread panic within the district administration, which even deployed local police to monitor the well-being of students enrolled in coaching institutes. As the city swung between two extremes—from an unsparing treadmill and an over-caring nanny—families started thinking twice about sending their children to Kota. This year, the coaching hub saw a steep decline in admissions.
I am from a village, and I have seen my father struggle for my education. Despite the pressure, I have a responsibility, so suicide is not an option to lift my family out of backwardness. In Sikar, many students come from rural backgrounds and mostly share similar stories
— Brijesh, an aspirant from Alwar studying in Sikar
But Sikar doesn’t have all the answers, despite what coaching institutes claim. It’s worth noting that a student’s death here rarely makes national or international headlines.The lack of data further muddies the waters.
“There was an atmosphere of pressure in Kota. Initially, there were few cases, but they gradually increased. We fear that this will happen in Sikar too as the industry grows,” said a senior police officer in Sikar who did not want to be named. “Coaching centres will have to ensure that Sikar does not become a new Kota when it comes to suicides.” For now, the district administration holds monthly meetings with coaching institutes to keep track of their students’ well-being.
Last year, in an attempt to get ahead of the problem, the Rajasthan government issued guidelines for coaching centres recommending that they don’t glorify toppers or segregate students based on their academic performance.
However, most of the hoardings proclaiming and celebrating Sikar’s NEET-UG 2024 performance have students’ faces plastered all over them. Young men and women in white coats and stethoscopes on giant posters smile at the new cohort of aspirants.
(Edited by Prashant)