Independence Day 2026: This morning Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralded the 80th Independence Day of India & made multiple notable announcements. One of them was that students appearing for competitive exams will get free online coaching.
Independence Day 2026: PM Modi’s Announcement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the country from the Red Fort this morning, as per tradition on Independence Day & made multiple announcements. And one of the most notable ones was the announcement of free online coaching for students preparing for various competitive examinations, saying the move would reduce the financial burden on families.
PM Modi said that “Coaching classes burden the poor and the middle class. We will provide free online coaching for various exams,”. He then emphasised how parents often face societal pressure to enroll their children in coaching classes, saying, “Every parent feels that if they do not send their child to a coaching class, they are not a prestigious family.”
Modi declared that “And therefore, we have decided to provide free online coaching for various examinations for the youth. We have digital public infrastructure; we have excellent talent and teachers. By bringing these resources together, we are going to build a complete network to provide free coaching to the youth of the country.”
He also reassured that the scheme would be of help to families, financially & emotionally. “I assure these families that they can save thousands of crores of rupees spent on coaching, be close to their children, and care for them,” he explained.
Independence Day 2026: Why Did PM Modi Announce Free Online Coaching for Competitive Exams?
PM Modi’s new initiative aims to address two issues at the same time: access to quality preparation and the cost of private coaching.
In his address from the Red Fort, he stated the central government wants to reduce the thousands of crores of rupees that families spend on coaching and allow young people to prepare for competitive exams while remaining closer to their families.
Which Competitive Exams Will Be Covered?
The government has not yet provided a detailed list of examinations covered by the initiative.
The Prime Minister referred broadly to “various competitive examinations.” Therefore, it would be premature to claim that the programme will definitely cover specific exams such as UPSC Civil Services, SSC, banking, JEE or NEET until the government releases the operational details.
The eligibility criteria, subjects, course structure, platform, registration process and launch date also remain to be officially detailed in the announcement available so far.
Independence Day 2026: Availability of Free Coaching
An official timeline for the availability of the free online coaching classes hasn’t been shared yet. However, it will likely go through some reviews before being formally introduced.
Independence Day 2026: PM Modi’s Other Key Announcements for Youth
Apart from the free online coaching classes, PM Modi also announced other youth focused iniatives. Some of them include a plan to train 1 crore young Indians in artificial intelligence within one year. Modi also announced a nationwide sports talent-identification programme aimed at children aged 5 to 15.
