The members of Uttarakhand Coaching and Library Association (UCLA) stated that the Uttarakhand Government should bring all the coaching institutes under Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) category considering the current financial crisis amid Covid-19 pandemic. In a Press conference organised here on Thursday by the association, owners of several coaching institutes expressed their concern about the pressure of paying rent in the present crisis saying that less than five per cent of students are attending online classes and the rest residing in mountainous regions have no proper internet access to connect online with the faculty members of institutes. They said that they want the state administration to issue the directions to waive the rent of coaching centres across the State because most of these centres are operated in rented spaces.

Besides this, they also want the government to recognise the business of coaching centres under MSME. The president of UCLA Savindra Singh said that the business of coaching centres is a whole industry that provides employment to hundreds of people besides preparing students for a better future. Other members pointed out that most of the coaching centres begin as a start-up and provide employment to hundreds of people when the government is incapable of providing jobs to everyone in the state.

They also said that the government has announced easy loans under MSME segment to support or start one's business but the people associated with coaching institutes could not get benefit from this scheme as the coaching centres are not recognised under it yet.

 "On average, a coaching institute employs at least 20 people and like other businesses, we also pay taxes so we also deserve to be recognised under MSME," said Shubham Nautiyal from the association.

Moreover, the association also demanded the government should waive 50 per cent of their monthly rent for six months after the resumption of coaching centres. They stated that their business will take time to revive from the loss it is bearing during the pandemic, making them incapable of paying a full rent to their landlords. Singh said that if the government will not support them at present, the business of coaching centres will suffer after the pandemic. He also added that they are trying to approach the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat to put their demands before him for his consideration.