Today(on 5th August),The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the deaths of three civil services aspirants in a coaching centre, seeking responses from the Centre and Delhi government. Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan criticized coaching centres as “death chambers” and stressed the need for strict safety compliance.
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NEW DELHI: The tragic deaths of three UPSC aspirants in a flooded IAS coaching centre basement in Delhi, the Supreme Court today(on 5th August) initiated a suo motu case to scrutinize the safety norms adhered to by buildings and coaching institutes in the national capital.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan expressed serious concerns over the operations of such coaching institutes, stating that many are functioning in blatant violation of building norms and regulations, thus becoming “death chambers.”
“We are issuing suo motu notice to the NCT of Delhi and the Union of India to provide guidelines on the safety measures that have been implemented. These places have turned into ‘death chambers,’ endangering the lives of young individuals from across the country.”
-the Court orally remarked.
The Court suggested that these institutes should transition to online classes until they fully comply with the safety norms under the Master Plan of Delhi, 2021, read with the Unified Building Bye Laws of Delhi, 2016.
“All coaching institutes and centers in Delhi must adhere to fire and safety norms as outlined in the Master Plan of Delhi, 2021, and the Unified Building Bye-Laws of Delhi, 2016. These institutes can operate online unless they fully comply with safety and basic living standards, including proper ventilation, safety passages, air, and light.”
– the Court emphasized.
The Supreme Court further issued notices to the Central government and the Delhi government, seeking detailed reports on the existing safety norms and their enforcement.
“We are uncertain about the effective measures taken by the NCT of Delhi or the Union of India so far. The recent tragic incidents involving the deaths of young individuals pursuing their careers through coaching centres serve as a wake-up call. We find it necessary to expand these proceedings suo motu and issue a notice to the Union of India (through the Ministry of Urban Affairs) and the NCT of Delhi, asking them to explain the safety norms prescribed and the mechanisms implemented to ensure their compliance.”
– the Court said in its order.
The Court was hearing an appeal filed by the Coaching Federation of India, which challenged the directions of the Delhi High Court regarding the proliferation of coaching institutes in Mukherjee Nagar and their failure to comply with fire and safety norms. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and imposed a cost of Rs.1 lakh on the Coaching Federation of India.
“This is an unfortunate time for such issues to arise, especially given that many young individuals from across the country have lost their lives in Delhi. In response to the plea by the Coaching Federation, we are imposing a Rs.1 lakh cost to be deposited with the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association.”
– the Court directed.
The tragic incident that spurred this action involved the deaths of three civil services aspirants—Tania Soni (25), Shreya Yadav (25), and Navin Delvin (28)—who perished in the basement of a building in Rajendra Nagar housing a branch of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, a renowned coaching institute. The institute’s basement library was flooded following heavy rains, trapping the students inside.
The Delhi High Court is already addressing a public interest litigation related to the incident and has ordered a CBI probe besides establishing a committee to examine Delhi’s financial and administrative setup.
The Supreme Court reiterated the urgent need for safety compliance in coaching centres, describing the situation as an “eye-opener.” The court also pointed out that these centres “have become death chambers” and are “playing with the lives of students.”
“The coaching centres are endangering students’ lives and have turned into ‘death chambers.'”
-the court observed, as it imposed a fine of Rs.1 lakh on the petitioner, the Coaching Center Federation, after it challenged the Delhi High Court’s order to shut down centres lacking a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC).
