'Dreams Of Those Youths Shattered': Delhi Coaching Centre Deaths Create Uproar In Parliament

The Parliament witnessed a storm on Monday as MPs raised concerns over the deaths of three UPSC aspirants who drowned in the flooded basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in New Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar.

The MPs, across party lines, stressed the importance of student safety and security in coaching institutes.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed the commercialisation of coaching centres, highlighting their frequent advertisements in newspapers.

"I have received notices under Rule 267... They have demanded a discussion on the tragic death of UPSC aspirants in Delhi due to negligence of authorities... I find that youth demographic dividend of the country has to be nurtured. I further find that coaching has become virtually commerce. Every time we read a newspaper, the front one or two pages are of their advertisements..." he said.

He also agreed to a short-duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the incident and vowed to meet with all party leaders to discuss the issue.

Congress MP KC Venugopal raised the matter in the Lok Sabha, stating that coaching centers are becoming a mafia and urging the government to take stringent action against the accused.

"Student suicide is one of the most important issues in the country. In the other House, there was an answer given by the Minister in 2023. In 5 years, between 2018-22, 80 students committed suicide only in higher education, like IITs and IIMs. The day before yesterday, in a coaching center in Delhi, three students lost their lives. This coaching center had no approved building at all. Some of the coaching centers have become mafia. When is the govt going to take any action against them?" he said.

New Delhi Lok Sabha MP and BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government, saying, "It is AAP's apathy that has caused the death of three UPSC aspirants in the national capital."

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal also blamed AAP, stating, "It's not about blaming. MCD is under AAP, and that party has been also ruling Delhi for the last 9 years. Incidents like this happen every year but AAP has found no concrete solution to tackle this issue. Those officers who are responsible for it must be severely punished to avoid repetition of such incidents in future... Mere sealing a few coaching institutes won't help have a long-term solution..."

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called for compensation for the victims' families, emphasising that while no compensation can be enough for such a loss, it is still necessary. He also pointed out that basic norms were violated by the coaching institute and that the MCD took no action. Tharoor visited the RML Hospital in Delhi to meet the family of Nevin Dalvin, one of the students who drowned.

"This is shameful, there is no doubt about it... The dreams of those youth have been shattered, the hopes of their families have been snuffed too. This is extremely saddening for the country, for its future and the future of the youth. What solution can you bring forth when a life is lost?... Yes, compensation should be provided. What is most important is to ensure that this doesn't happen again so that nobody has to suffer through the same loss again..." he said.

Independent MP Pappu Yadav also raised the matter, highlighting that one of the deceased, Tanya, a native of Bihar, lost her life due to waterlogging in the basement of the coaching institute. He urged the government to take steps to ensure the safety and security of students who come from across the country to prepare for competitive exams.