UPSC Coaching Centre News: Home ministry forms committee to probe incident

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a committee to inquire into the incident where three civil services aspirants died due to flooding at a UPSC coaching centre, Rau’s IAS Study Circle, in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area. The panel comprising officials from housing affairs ministry, home ministry, Delhi government, police, and fire department will submit its report within a month.

“MHA has constituted a committee to inquire into the unfortunate incident at a coaching centre in old Rajinder Nagar in New Delhi. The committee will inquire into the reasons, fix responsibility, suggest measures and recommend policy changes. The committee will have Additional Secretary, MoUHA, Principal Secretary (Home), Delhi Govt, Special CP, Delhi Police, Fire Advisor and JS, MHA as Convener. It will submit its report in 30 days,” said the home ministry in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Earlier today, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the government, police, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) following a complaint filed by the student body, All India Students Union (AISU).

Delhi Coaching Centre Incident: Arrests, sealing

In the recent developments, the Delhi Police today arrested five more persons including basement owners in connection with the coaching centre deaths. Previously, the owner and coordinator of the private institute were taken into custody. Meanwhile, the municipal body has initiated a sealing drive and sealed 13 illegal coaching centres including the one where the students died.

In its first statement after the tragedy, the coaching institute said it is cooperating with the ongoing probe and fully committed to supporting the affected families. The coaching centre along with police and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government faced criticism and student protests.

Two female students and one male, preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), died by drowning after the single biometric entry and exit point in the library housed in the basement of the centre stopped functioning.