India, July 27 -- The greatest vote of no confidence in India's education system is cast not in Parliament but by millions of parents every year. They pay taxes to support public education, school fees to educate their children and, increasingly, substantial sums for private coaching because they no longer believe that schooling alone is enough. Few realities expose the weaknesses of Indian education more starkly than this. A nation that compels families to seek a second education after the first has already admitted that something fundamental is wrong.

The spectacular rise of coaching centres is often celebrated as an entrepreneurial success story. They have undoubtedly helped many students achieve their aspirations and filled important...