Rajasthan’s Sikar is steadily carving out its identity as India’s next major coaching destination for NEET and JEE aspirants, offering students a more affordable and less overwhelming alternative to Kota’s highly commercialised coaching ecosystem.
Located around 150 kilometres from Jaipur on the highway leading to the pilgrimage town of Khatu Shyamji, Sikar may still resemble a large town more than a bustling city, but its transformation into an education hub is becoming impossible to ignore. Giant billboards featuring smiling toppers and All India Rank holders now dominate the roads leading into the town, reflecting the growing influence of the coaching industry in the region.
For thousands of middle-class families across North India, Sikar is increasingly becoming the preferred destination where dreams of becoming doctors and engineers seem more achievable financially and emotionally.
From Paper Leak Controversy To National Attention
Sikar recently grabbed national headlines after the NEET paper leak investigation traced several leads back to the town. According to investigators, a chemistry teacher associated with a coaching institute in Sikar allegedly received the leaked paper through a hostel owner, who had reportedly obtained it from his son studying MBBS in Kerala.
Investigative agencies believe the so-called “guess paper”, which later turned out to be the leaked NEET paper, circulated in Sikar between April 30 and May 3, before the examination was held.
The scandal came to light after chemistry teacher Shashikant Suthar reportedly emailed the National Testing Agency (NTA), exposing the leak and helping investigators trace the network spread across Haryana and Maharashtra.
While the controversy placed Sikar under scrutiny, it also highlighted the town’s growing importance in India’s competitive exam landscape.
Why Sikar Is Becoming The “B-Town” Of Coaching
For years, Kota has remained India’s undisputed coaching capital, attracting lakhs of students preparing for engineering and medical entrance exams. However, the city’s intense academic pressure and alarming rise in student suicides have increasingly worried parents.
Kota recorded 13 student suicides in the past year alone, while nearly 100 such deaths have been reported over the last decade.
Sikar, on the other hand, presents a starkly different atmosphere. The town has reported far fewer such incidents, with only one widely discussed student suicide case in 2024 involving a 17-year-old NEET aspirant.
This contrast has worked significantly in Sikar’s favour.
Unlike Kota’s fast-paced urban environment, Sikar remains relatively simple and grounded. There are no luxury hostels, no malls, and only one cinema hall. Yet, this simplicity is exactly what appeals to many families from smaller towns and villages.
The town offers a familiar, community-oriented atmosphere where students often feel less isolated and parents believe their children are safer.
A Town Built On Middle-Class Aspirations
For many students studying in Sikar, the journey is deeply personal and emotionally driven.
Seventeen-year-old Pavitra Chaudhary, a NEET aspirant from Srimadhopur’s Jankipura village, says becoming a doctor was his father’s dream long before it became his own.
“In 2016, I saw Shoaib Aftab’s photograph in the newspaper after he secured AIR 1. That day, I decided I would also become a topper,” Pavitra said.
During the Covid pandemic, Pavitra lost his mother to a heart attack. Last December, just months before his NEET exam, his father died in a road accident.
“After that, I was deeply disturbed,” he said. “But now fulfilling my father’s dream is my only purpose.”
Pavitra, who expects around 690 marks in NEET, now lives with relatives near Jaipur while preparing for another attempt. His coaching institute waived both tuition and hostel fees to support him.
Stories like his are increasingly common in Sikar.
Akhtar Ansari, another NEET aspirant from Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district, has already attempted the exam seven times. His father, a small farmer and labourer, sold land and mortgaged jewellery to support his son’s education.
“This year I thought I had finally made it,” Akhtar said emotionally. “When I told Abbu my expected score, he went around the village telling everyone his son had become a doctor.”
After the paper cancellation, the disappointment was crushing, but his family encouraged him to continue.
Lower Costs, Smaller Town Comforts
Education experts say affordability is one of Sikar’s biggest advantages.
Pradeep Budania, director of Gurukripa Institute, says studying in Sikar costs almost half as much as in Kota.
“Even coaching institutes that expand from Kota are forced to reduce fees and offer larger scholarships here,” he said.
Accommodation is also significantly cheaper. Hostel and PG rooms in Sikar range from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000, making the town far more accessible for middle-class families.
Budania believes Sikar’s small-town culture also creates a healthier environment for students.
“Hostel and PG owners are mostly local villagers who genuinely care for the students,” he said. “There are fewer distractions here, and students stay focused.”
Most students in Sikar come from Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region, Haryana and nearby rural areas, creating an atmosphere many families find familiar and reassuring.
Student Numbers Rising Rapidly
According to coaching operators, student enrolment in Sikar has nearly tripled between 2021 and 2025, even as Kota’s numbers have witnessed a decline.
While Kota continues to produce top national ranks, experts say Sikar is increasingly producing larger numbers of successful candidates overall.
Institutes like Gurukripa, CLC and Matrix have become major names in the town’s coaching industry, while Kota still remains home to established national giants such as Allen and Resonance.
After the Supreme Court directed the NTA to release NEET results centre-wise following the 2024 paper leak controversy, Sikar drew further attention after recording a high concentration of top scorers.
Although controversies continue to follow the coaching industry, Sikar’s rise reflects a broader shift in how middle-class families are approaching competitive exam preparation — prioritising affordability, emotional support and a less intimidating environment over the high-pressure culture long associated with Kota.