Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan admitted to negligence in the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in Delhi, who perished due to flooding in a coaching center. He made this statement on Monday in Rajya Sabha while responding to a query regarding the tragic incident. Pradhan stressed the need for accountability, declaring, “Only when accountability is fixed, there will be a solution… It is our responsibility to ensure that such an incident is not repeated.”
Earlier in Lok Sabha, leaders from various political parties expressed their condemnation of the flooding incident. Congress MP KC Venugopal raised the issue during Question Hour, highlighting the lack of regulation and safety measures in coaching centers. He alleged that some centers operate like mafias, lacking basic facilities and approved building plans. He also cited data from the ministry revealing that between 2018 and 2022, nearly 80 students in premier institutions like IITs and IIMs had committed suicide, attributing this alarming trend partly to caste discrimination. In response, Pradhan asserted that the government is dedicated to the overall well-being of students, encompassing their mental and psychological health. He reiterated the government’s commitment to the safety and well-being of students across all educational institutions, from coaching centers to schools and higher education institutions.
The education minister further informed the House that comprehensive guidelines for coaching centers were issued to all states in January 2024. He added that certain states like Rajasthan, Bihar, and Goa have implemented their own regulations to oversee coaching centers. Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, urging immediate action, requested the Lok Sabha Speaker to direct the government to provide compensation of ₹1 crore each to the families of the deceased students. He also demanded that responsibility be fixed and strict actions be taken against those accountable for the incident.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday when the basement of a coaching center in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area was flooded due to heavy rains, leading to the deaths of three civil services aspirants.
