According to Vikas Divyakirti, the founder of Drishti IAS, after coaching center tragedy
Vikas Divyakirti of the noted Drishti IAS coaching center has come under strong criticism following the tragic incident at Rau IAS Academy that claimed three UPSC aspirant lives. Divyakirti claims he is being made a scapegoat for the disaster as student protests erupted at his residence, demanding accountability and justice.
Protests Erupt Outside Divyakirti’s Residence
Hundreds of students assembled outside the residence of Divyakirti in Mukherjee Nagar and also at the premises of his coaching institute, Drishti IAS. Some angry students were furious over the deafening silence by Divyakirti about the incident that led to the death of a fellow student and wanted him to come out and talk to them. According to the eyewitnesses, the agitation started after the students alleged that Divyakirti absconded after the tragedy. The students again raised slogans seeking accountability from the high-profile coach.
They were outraged not only over the death at Rau IAS Academy but a series of negligence and dangerous conditions under which many such coaching centers function, including that of Drishti IAS. The atmosphere outside the coaching center became charged with students present voicing their demands regarding justice and transparency.
Background of the Tragic Incident
The tragic incident of Rau IAS Academy in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar area that claimed three UPSC aspirants saw instantaneous public uproar coupled with governmental intervention. After the incident, the sealing order has been issued for the Drishti Coaching Centre running in the basement of Varadhman Mall in Mukherjee Nagar. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi sealed the center; it was running classes in the basement for about 300 students. This basement was reported to have had structural problems and insufficient safety measures.
The incident has serious questions over the safety standards of coaching institutes running in similar conditions. Students attending classes at Drishti IAS reported that there were apprehensions about the structural integrity of the building as a large drain near the mall had compromised the safety of the premises. Many students said that they were fearing for their lives due to hazardous conditions under which they were studying.
Vikas Divyakirti’s Response
Vikas Divyakirti has claimed that he is being unfairly victimized and scapegoated for the tragedy as protests and scrutiny mounted in its aftermath. He had urged the general public to understand that this is an outcome of deeper systemic issues within the coaching industry and less a comment upon his or Drishti IAS’s practices.
He has time and again said that he believes in the safety and protection of students, touting that the coaching institute was opened with a noble gesture to provide quality education for aspirants of UPSC. All these statements have been an attempt at shifting blame and putting the onus onto improving safety regulations for all coaching centers rather than that towards Drishti IAS alone.
Broader Issue of Safety in Coaching Centers
This incident brought to the forefront a deep-rooted problem within the coaching industry in India. A lot of coaching centers function at below-par standards, and most of them are the ones functioning from basements or other places not at all suitable for conducting classes. Absence of any regulatory control had let many such institutions to run without any safety measures whatsoever, and their students were continuing to be at risk.
Students from Drishti IAS and other coaching institutes have been demanding the framing of more regulations and frequent inspections at educational institutes so that the administration works as much towards ensuring safety as it does towards the academic performance. That is, the demand for justice is not only with regard to accountability at the individual level but also leading to changes in the system to save the lives of students.
Official Follow-up and Further Action
Following up on this terrible incident, officials of the local district have now pledged to look into the safety measures of coaching institutes in the Delhi area. This involves an inquiry into the condition of places like Drishti IAS for compliance and taking care of other infrastructure issues that students had reported.
Sealing of Drishti IAS by the MCD is a very strong step towards mitigating immediate safety concerns that had emanated from the tragedy. However, now that everything has cooled down, students and advocates want long-term solutions to the problem, which include regular safety audits and a regulatory body to control coaching centers.
Conclusion
As this is still developing, the sad demise of three UPSC aspirants at Rau IAS Academy has drawn up nationwide protests and raised a banner of demand over the coaching system in place. The claim of being made a scapegoat by Vikas Divyakirti is indicative of the issue being not about individual responsibility but about larger, systemic failures in the sector.
These present protests and public outburst may work as a catalyst for much-required reforms in every coaching center across India. Their demand for justice shows an ever-growing concern for one’s rights and a safe and more accountable environment to learn in. Hopefully, once the authorities look into this and make necessary changes, such tragedies shall be avoided in times to come, and so many aspirants chasing dreams shall be saved.
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