After nearly three years of slowdown, Rajasthan’s Kota admissions are seeing an uptick again. Preliminary trends for the academic session 2026-27 show a 20 to 30 per cent increase in enrollment in coaching institutes preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and National Eligibility Entrance Test (JEE).NEET).The recovery followed a sharp contraction between 2023 and 2025, when the number of students dropped by 30 to 40 percent. The intake fell by about 2.5 lakh aspirants, bringing the annual revenue of Rs 6,500 to 7,000 crore to about 85,000 to 1 lakh students. During this period, revenue declined to around Rs 3,500 crore. PTIThe current admission cycle, which began on March 25 with new batches and will continue till April 2, has brought a marked increase in the movement of students and parents in the city. Early signs suggest the slowdown may ease.But the increase in numbers is only part of the story. The key question is whether this indicates a steady recovery or a short-term correction after a heavy fall.
Quota’s entry cycle shows early signs of recovery.
Kota’s coaching ecosystem has long stood out as a national hub for competitive exam preparation. Over the past four decades, it has attracted students from across the country seeking admission to the institute. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).Recent findings continue to support this belief. In the January session of JEE Main, 8 out of 12 candidates who secured 100 percentile scores were from institutions in Kota. Students trained in the city have also secured All India Rank 1 in IIT-JEE for the last two years.This consistency in results has been maintained even during enrollment declines. The current increase in admissions suggests that the demand for structured coaching has not gone away, but may have been temporarily disrupted.
The local economy and stakeholders see the impact.
Local stakeholders are already linking the influx of students to a broader economic recovery. Kota Station Area Auto Union President Feroze Khan said PTI“We hope for a return to the prosperous times of the past.”Om Birla, Lok Sabha Speaker and Member of Parliament from Kota Bundi said the city is focusing on providing a supportive environment for students preparing for engineering and medical entrance exams. He urged the residents to contribute to the welfare of the students. PTIRSportsThe city’s infrastructure reflects its scale. Kota currently has about 4,000 hostels and about 45,000 paying guest facilities. Around 35 coaching institutes operate in the city, offering preparation for national level entrance exams.Kota Hostel Association President Naveen Mittal said that the current influx of students is more than expected. “This reaffirms the confidence of students and parents in the education ecosystem of Kota. If this trend continues, the coaching industry and the economy of the city will be back on track.” PTI. He added that the hostel operators have been advised not to increase the fares despite the increasing demand.
Parents and students come back, trust is built.
Parents and students from different parts of the country also pointed to continued confidence in Kota. Ajay Kumar from Imphal said he had long considered the city based on feedback from students from the Northeast. PTI Reports Om Kumar of Begusarai described Kota as a competitive environment for focused studies, while Bhavesh of Jalgaon described it as a hub for engineering and medical preparation. Dr. Anurag Singh from Ambedkar Nagar said perceptions about the city often differed from ground realities and cited its educational environment and facilities. PTI.Along with admissions, orientation and counseling sessions have also increased. Coaching institutes are conducting programs on behavior, stress management and study planning with the participation of students and parents.
The bottom line
The increase in enrollment is expected to support local businesses associated with student spending. But the recent past offers a caveat. A system that saw a drop of up to 40% in a short period of time cannot rely solely on returning numbers.For now, Kota’s recovery is visible in admissions and footfall. Whether this translates into a sustained recovery will depend on whether the factors that led to the earlier slowdown are addressed.(with PTI input)
