The Supreme Court has taken suo moto cognisance of the tragic deaths of three civil service aspirants last month due to flooding in the basement of a coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, issued notices to the Central Government and the Delhi Government, seeking their responses on the matter.

“These coaching centres have turned into death chambers,” remarked the bench. They emphasized the need for such centres to comply with safety norms and standards to ensure a dignified life for the students. The court noted that these institutes are jeopardizing the lives of aspirants from various parts of the country and suggested that they operate online unless safety standards are fully met.

The Supreme Court has instructed the Centre, the Delhi Government, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to file responses detailing the safety norms currently in place. The bench expressed deep concern over the safety and well-being of students at coaching centres, underscoring the urgent need for regulatory measures to prevent such incidents in the future.