Explained: What led to the crisis at FIITJEE coaching centers

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Several branches of coaching institute FIITJEE in Delhi NCR and north-India have shut down due to the institute's financial crisis. The closure has left hundreds of parents protesting against the institute demanding refund of their fees. The crisis seems to have accelerated just after the end of the academic session for students appearing on January 22, 23 and 24 Session-1 of JEE Mains.

What led to the crisis?

The crisis in the coaching institute is a result of administrative and civic action that were taken against its branches for violating licensing and fire safety rules. Ghaziabad's district inspector of Schools Dharmendra Sharma had recently highlighted the fresh drive launched under UP Coaching Regulation Act, 2002, against unregistered institutes. 


The annual income of teachers in the institute ranged between Rs 15 Lakh to Rs 2 Core. Many centres had experienced mass resignation from teachers after they were not paid salaries for months. FIITJEE has also been accused of diverting their funds to business other than the coaching centres. They lost their investors and teachers due to the financial crisis. 

Cities where FIIT-JEE centres have closed 

The coaching centres have closed in cities such as Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut and Bhopal. Parents have filed multiple police complaints in these regions. The coaching institute's reputed South Delhi branch at Kalu Sarai near IIT-Delhi had also been forced to suspend some classes due exit of teachers who were allegedly not paid wages for several months. 

Protests across the cities

Social media is flooded with videos of parents protesting outside the institute's now-shut branches and police stations.  Some parents noted that they were taken aback by text messages sent to them by FIITJEE centre heads on Monday about the sudden closure of their wards' centre. A parent who had recently deposited Rs 4 lakh fee in FIITJEE centre at Noida sector 26 said, “An outgoing FIITJEE teacher told us that most faculty members are leaving as they have not been paid salaries for several months.”

About the institute

Started nearly three decades ago by D.K. Goel, a mechanical engineering graduate from IIT Delhi, the chain of coaching institutes, specialising in engineering entrance exam training, also offers NEET entrance coaching. The institute also provides coaching for basic foundation classes of 8,9 and 10. FIITJEE reportedly has 72 centres across 41 cities and over 300 employees.