The actions by the authorities against coaching institutes in Old Rajinder Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar in Delhi for violating the government's guidelines took center stage after three IAS aspirants lost their lives due to sudden flooding in the basement of a study centre. Amid blame game by the politicians, bulldozer actions, protests by youth and police probe, the interest of students who are enrolled with these coaching centres seems to be overlooked. An air of uncertainty gripped civil services aspirants in the city, as several coaching institutes cancelled classes in the wake of the deaths of IAS aspirants in the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi, on Sunday, sealed 13 illegally-run coaching centres in the Old Rajinder Nagar area.
IAS Gurukul, Chahal Academy, Plutus Academy, Sai Trading, IAS Setu, Topper's Academy, Dainik Samvad, Civils Daily IAS, Career Power, 99 Notes, Vidya Guru, Guidance IAS, and Easy for IAS were the 13 centres that were sealed.
Students suffer as classes paused
Sameer, a UPSC aspirant, said they have failed to access the library after the incident. "It is unclear how long it will take to resolve the situation. We are still waiting for the government or the administration to address our concerns,” he said.
“We have been informed that coaching centres will remain shut for at least the next three days. Some centres have shifted to conducting online classes. Libraries, which are essential for students, are closed everywhere. Students typically study in these libraries for more than 15 to 20 hours," Sameer added.
IAS aspirants Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana and Navin Dalwin from Kerala died after Rau's IAS Study Circle’s basement, being used as a library, got flooded due to rains in the national capital on Saturday evening.
Another UPSC aspirant from Jharkhand, said he was planning to return home for a week since the centre was shut.
"I am taking coaching in Vision IAS but our classes have been cancelled for the next three days. I am planning to go back home since the library where I used to study is also in the basement and is now closed till further notice," he said, requesting anonymity.
A teacher from a coaching institute shared that many of the centres have moved to online classes, while some have shut down classes.
"The libraries here have been completely shut down after the incident, leaving most students in uncertainty. Even those whose exams are in a few weeks from now are protesting over the incident," he added.
Students said they pay exorbitant amounts to coaching centres and their shutting down has left them in a state of dismay.
No lesson from Mukherjee Nagar fire tragedy?
Last year, Mukherjee Nagar was in the news after a massive fire at a multi-storey building housing coaching centres led to distressing visuals of students jumping off windows to escape the blaze.
The incident highlighted the inadequate safety measures at such establishments.
The Delhi High Court had then directed agencies to crack down on coaching centres running in violation of safety measures, but the recent deaths of the three IAS aspirants has again put a question mark on the efficacy of agencies in implementing safety norms.
Students in Mukherjee Nagar also voiced concerns about their exam preparations as there was police presence in the area and the MCD sealed the building of Drishti IAS Coaching centre where classes were being run even from the basement, in violation of norms.
There was no immediate reaction from Drishti IAS Coaching centre. On Sunday, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi had directed the MCD commissioner to initiate action against coaching centres running commercial activities in basements, which she said are in violation of building bye-laws and are not as per norms.
"For now, we have been informed that there will be no classes for till July 31. My notes are there in the library, which is sealed now. I have to appear for UPSC Mains in a few weeks. Nobody is telling us for how long this will continue," said a student, who has come from Bihar and enrolled for UPSC preparations here.
A shopkeeper said MCD teams inspected some institutes in the morning, and in anticipation of a raid and fear of inspection, other coaching centres cancelled classes and downed their shutters.
Most of the students wished to remain anonymous even as they shared that little change had happened on ground since the fire incident last year.
"It is just a matter of a few days. The Old Rajinder Nagar coaching incident is in the news and that is why the spotlight is back on Mukherjee Nagar. The institutes, just to ensure that they do not face the heat, have shut down classes but as soon as the matter will die down, it will be back to earlier situation," rued a SSC aspirant from Rajasthan.
A UPSC aspirant from Bihar, echoed similar views and said that even in Mukherjee Nagar, students are raising voice against institutes demanding accountability and safety.
"Some of the students even went to the protests in Old Rajinder Nagar. To get away from the issue, the classes are being cancelled," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
