Rau's IAS study circle tragedy: Safety of coaching centres has to be ensured

The tragic incident that took place on Saturday evening at the Civil Service Coaching Center at Karol Bagh in Delhi is extremely shocking. Three people, including a Malayali, were killed when the water rose on the road during the torrential rains and rushed into the library hall which was functioning in the basement of the coaching centre. There were other children present at the time of the disaster but they managed to escape by running upstairs. The sudden closing of the door to the upper floor in the meantime and the lack of other means of rescue is what led to the tragic death of Nevin Dalvin, a twenty-three-year-old Malayali, and two women from UP and Telangana. Rau's IAS Study Circle, which is very well known in the field of civil service coaching, has taken the lives of three talents who would have been assets to the country in the future.

There are coaching centres like this all over the country, which are built for the sake of profit without following any safety standards. They work right under the nose of the authorities. Dozens of coaching centres in states like Delhi and Rajasthan often provide accommodation facilities similar to prisons in the name of hostels for children coming from other states. There are general complaints that the disaster at Rau's IAS Study Circle cannot be seen as the fault of the centre management alone. The residents of the area have been constantly complaining that the drainage system in this area is completely broken and needs to be repaired. However, the Delhi municipal authorities did not pay attention to these complaints.

The wall of the basement room of the study centre, which was located lower on the road, collapsed due to the waterlogging of the road due to the heavy rain and the room was filled with water in no time. Study centre CEO and co-ordinator have been arrested in connection with the incident. This action can be considered only as a move to cool the anger of students in Delhi over the incident. Investigation teams have also been appointed as usual. No matter what actions are taken, the lives of the three young talents who drowned in the water cannot be recovered. Only a storeroom was allowed to be operated in the basement of the four-storey building where Rau's IAS Study Circle at Karol Bagh functions. A library was prepared there breaking the law. The children were attracted by the provision of facilities including AC in the room where wind and light did not penetrate. The basement room had only one door for coming in and going out. The delay in the rescue operation after the accident was also a setback.

There have been many tragedies in coaching centres in Delhi and elsewhere. Strict norms are introduced to ensure safety in coaching centres but generally, no one follows them. Even the supervisory municipal authorities do not pay any attention to it. Naturally, the Rau's IAS Study Circle coaching centre disaster invited massive student protests. It can be said that the youth agitation took the capital city by storm on Sunday. It is hoped that it will lead to open discussions and appropriate decisions regarding the safety of study centres. The organizers of Study Circle are obliged to provide adequate compensation to the families of the deceased children. The authorities should ensure this.