Mukherjee Nagar fire: UPSC aspirants in unison demand safer institutes, but split over road ahead

Students affected by the fire in a building at Mukherjee Nagar on June 15 have demanded that coaching centres in the area adopt proper safety measures. However, many students are not sure on whether to return to their institutes to continue studies or look for safer options.

With hopes of cracking the civil services examination, Praveen Kumar came to the city earlier this month from his native Bihar. Like many UPSC aspirants, the 24-year-old enrolled himself in an educational coaching institute in Mukherjee Nagar.

On June 15, the north Delhi locality reported a fire in the ground floor of a building which houses several coaching centres. Mr. Kumar was among nearly 250 students who had a narrow escape, after dense smoke engulfed the third floor where many institutes conduct classes.

As many as 61 students sustained injuries while trying to flee the building, which neither had a fire safety clearance from the authorities nor the necessary fire-fighting equipment.

Students of Sanskriti IAS said they were forced to smash open the small windows and climb down using ropes. The water tank on the roof was empty and fire hydrants in the building were not working, they added.

A day later, students from various coaching centres protested outside the building, which was sealed off by the police, and demanded that the institutes be reopened.

Many students noted that cramped classrooms, single entry/exit and inadequate safety measures are prevalent issues in Mukherjee Nagar, the city’s hub of coaching centres, and not limited to one building.

Disturbed by the incident, Mr. Kumar, a student of Sanskriti IAS, said he plans to return home and switch to online classes. “I was lucky to escape without major injuries, but it could have been worse. Who knows if a similar incident won’t happen again? I don’t want to compromise on my dream, but I fear for my safety. I will also try to get a refund as I had enrolled only last week.”