Formal education has always been the principal model through which societies educate their young. Today, however, schools are seen as non-analytical and are being replaced by logic-based approach of competitive examinations. In India, the growth of shadow education, which is preponderant at the level of secondary education, is providing informal avenues through which the youth garner knowledge and skills. One such avenue is the private coaching for the Joint Entrance Exam to enter into the premier Indian Institute of Technology(s). The article draws on an exploratory study carried out in the city of Delhi and examines the credentialing strategies of IIT aspirants through Joint Entrance Exam coaching and how the pedagogical practices of coaching institutes influence the perceptions and proclivities of aspirants and their families towards school education. I also discuss the policy implications of such practices for formal schooling.
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