The recent tragedy at Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Delhi has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about the safety and management standards in educational institutions. On July 28, 2024, three UPSC aspirants lost their lives due to severe flooding in the basement of the coaching institute, highlighting the gross negligence and lack of preparedness on the part of the institute and local authorities.
Chronology of Events of The Delhi IAS Coaching Flooding
Heavy Rainfall and Initial Flooding
New Delhi experienced unprecedented rainfall over several days, leading to severe waterlogging across the city. The continuous downpour caused the Yamuna River to breach its banks, exacerbating the flooding situation. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the rainfall was among the heaviest recorded in recent years.
The Incident at Rau’s IAS Study Circle
On the morning of July 28, heavy rains led to significant water accumulation in the Mukherjee Nagar area, where Rau’s IAS Study Circle is located. The basement of the institute, which housed a library and classrooms, quickly filled with water. The absence of a proper drainage system in the basement made the situation worse, as acknowledged by the institute’s management. Despite attempts to evacuate the students, three young lives were lost due to drowning.
Criticism of the Kejriwal Government
The Kejriwal Government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have faced severe criticism for their handling of the situation. The lack of adequate infrastructure to manage such crises and the negligence in ensuring safety protocols in educational institutions have been highlighted as major failures. Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, explicitly blamed the Delhi government for the deaths, emphasizing the need for accountability and better management
Public Reaction and Student Protests Against Delhi IAS Coaching
The tragic incident at Rau’s IAS Study Circle has ignited widespread outrage and grief among the city’s residents, particularly among Delhi IAS Coaching students and ORN students (those preparing for exams in Old Rajinder Nagar). The student community has been vocal in expressing their anger and demanding justice. Protests erupted across the city, with many students from Rau’s IAS Study Circle and other coaching centers taking to the streets. They held placards and chanted slogans, condemning the negligence of the Delhi government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The students criticized the authorities for failing to enforce safety regulations in buildings and for not providing timely rescue operations during the flooding crisis.
The anger was palpable as students gathered outside the institute and at key locations across Delhi. They demanded accountability from the Kejriwal Government and the MCD, calling out their apparent apathy towards the safety of students. The protests were not limited to the student community; many parents and civil society members joined in, highlighting the broader public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the situation. The Delhi government’s response was deemed inadequate, with many criticizing officials for not having robust disaster management plans in place, despite previous incidents of flooding in the city.
The lack of timely and effective rescue efforts was particularly condemned. Many argued that the MCD and the Delhi government failed in their duty to protect the students. The delayed response from emergency services, coupled with the apparent unpreparedness of the authorities, has been a central point of criticism. The situation was exacerbated by the absence of proper drainage systems and the poor state of infrastructure, which were factors that the public and media heavily criticized.
The student protests also drew attention to the broader issue of inadequate safety measures in educational institutions across Delhi. Many pointed out that this tragedy could have been avoided with better infrastructure and stricter enforcement of safety regulations. The public’s outcry has put immense pressure on the Delhi government and MCD to take immediate corrective actions and prevent such incidents in the future.
The reaction from students and the wider public reflects a deep sense of betrayal and frustration with the Kejriwal Government and MCD’s handling of the crisis. The call for justice and accountability continues to resonate, with demands for comprehensive reforms in safety protocols and infrastructure improvements across Delhi’s educational institutions. The tragedy has not only highlighted the immediate failures of the authorities but also sparked a broader conversation about the need for systemic changes to ensure the safety and well-being of students in the city
The Role of Prominent Figures
Various public figures have weighed in on the incident. Delhi Minister Atishi Marlena ordered a magisterial inquiry into the matter, promising swift action against those responsible. However, her statement has done little to quell the anger of the public, who demand more concrete measures.
The students who drowned come from different parts of the country and after the incident, the anger towards the AAP government and especially Atishi is growing by the second. Students are demanding that the families of the dead students be compensated with Rs 1 Crore each and all the guilty parties be arrested.
Some students have also started a “Annashan (fasting Protest)” and they have warned the Delhi government to extend the protests indefinitely if their demands aren’t met. These students have aspirations of becoming the highest civil servants of the country and serve their mother nation. All they ask in return is a little bit of human decency.
Prominent educators like Vikas Divyakirti and Avadh Ojha from Drishti IAS have also expressed their condolences and called for better safety measures in coaching institutes. Their voices have amplified the growing concern among parents and students regarding the safety of educational premises in flood-prone areas.
Moving Forward: Cries for Reform
The tragic loss of three promising UPSC aspirants in a Delhi IAS Coaching has brought to light the dire need for better infrastructure and disaster management in educational institutions. It has become evident that the current state of preparedness is grossly inadequate, and immediate reforms are necessary to prevent such tragedies in the future. Some proposed measures include:
- Regular Safety Audits: Ensuring that all Delhi IAS coaching institutes, especially those with basements, adhere to strict safety and building codes.
- Improved Infrastructure: Upgrading drainage systems and other infrastructure to manage heavy rainfall and prevent flooding.
- Emergency Response Training: Implementing comprehensive emergency response protocols and training for staff and students.
Our Opinion:
Living in the Indian Capital today is being compared to living in a prison. The only difference is, that people can move freely. The rest of the city has been in shambles since the Kejriwal government took charge. Here is a small list of departments and promises related to those departments that the Kejriwal Government has not yet fulfilled.
Here is a list of unfulfilled promises made by Arvind Kejriwal since 2014:
Education:
- Promised 500 new schools but constructed only a fraction.
- Planned 20 new degree colleges, but only one was established.
Healthcare:
- Promised five hospital beds per 1,000 people; achieved only 2.9 beds per 1,000.
Electricity and Water:
- Failed to build new power stations and make Delhi a solar city.
- Did not fulfill promises related to rainwater harvesting and reviving the Yamuna River.
- From “I will create artificial lakes in Delhi” to “Delhi is a man-made, artificial lake”
Transportation:
- Promised 5,000 new DTC buses but did not deliver.
- Lack of progress in the fourth phase of the Delhi Metro and the Unified Transport Authority.
Governance:
- Incomplete implementation of the Swaraj Bill and Jan Lokpal Bill.
- Full statehood for Delhi remains unfulfilled.
Business and Employment:
- Failed to create 8 lakh jobs and improve ease of doing business rankings.
- Limited progress in employment generation and skill development centers.
The “Freebie” culture that the Kejriwal Government has introduced in Delhi is eating Delhi from the inside and claiming lives with it. The Delhi government rarely has sufficient funds because they have stopped collecting taxes on transportation, electricity, water, and god only knows what else. However, the situation for students living in Old Rajender Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar is still the same. They still have to pay extravagant prices for their tuition fee, their PG rent, their study material, their food, and double than normal rates on electricity (which is supposed to be free).
The corruption in Delhi is also becoming rampant as we can see that the MCD and DDA both have not fulfilled their duties. The Delhi IAS Coaching ecosystem is a thriving place but because of the population density in that small of an area, it has become a fatal threat to students. Hanging, uncovered wires, congested living “CABINS”, zero sanitation, waterlogging. Students have been complaining about theur living situation in the Delhi IAS Coaching hubs. But their requests have fallen on deaf ears till now.
All of this has culminated in the protests that we see today. For the first time in a decade, there is a protest that is not entirely based on a decision taken by the Modi government. Have to say, this is a bit refreshing. Certainly, someone else can also make mistakes. But sadly, people are going to forget this ever happened and the three names of the “Murdered UPSC Students, Tanya Soni, Shreya Yadav,25, and Nevin Delvin, 28 will become another bookmark for people like us.
As the country mourns the loss of three young lives, it is crucial that the Delhi Government, including officials like Atishi Marlena, takes decisive action to address the issues that led to this tragedy. The Kejriwal Government must work closely with local authorities, including the MCD, to implement stricter safety regulations and improve infrastructure. The voices of UPSC aspirants and their families must be heard, and measures must be put in place to ensure that no student ever has to face such a fate again. The tragedy at Rau’s IAS Study Circle serves as a grim reminder of the consequences of mismanagement and the urgent need for reform.
We hope that the Coaching Mafia starts thinking about the students that they were supposed to serve. They are now looting their own clientelle. This can also work as a wake-up call for students who have become obsessed with studying in famous coaching centers and from famous IAS coaching Teachers. A city like Delhi, which is already over-saturated with human lives, might not be able to handle any more UPSC students.
Till next time
This is New India
Signing off…
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