Govt Makes Safety Audit Must for All Schools After Rajasthan Tragedy

A day after a devastating roof collapse at a government school in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar claimed the lives of seven students, the Ministry of Education has made safety and infrastructure audits mandatory for all schools across India.

The incident occurred at the Piplodi Government School on Friday morning when the roof of a building housing Classes 6 and 7 caved in, trapping around 35 students. Seven children died and 27 others were injured, several critically.

Last rites and outrage

The victims’ last rites were performed on Saturday. The incident sparked protests in Piplodi village, where grieving family members and residents clashed with police, accusing the administration of ignoring warnings about the school’s deteriorating condition.

Officials suspended, inquiry underway

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma expressed deep sorrow and ordered a thorough investigation. Five officials from the Education Department—Meena Garg, Javed Ahmed, Ramvilas, Kanhaiya Lal Sugan, and Badrilal Lodha—have been suspended. A committee has been formed to investigate the incident, said Jhalawar Collector Ajay Singh Rathore.

Ignored warnings, say students and leaders

Eyewitness students claimed they had warned their teacher about falling pieces from the ceiling minutes before the collapse, but were ignored. Former Rajasthan minister Pramod Jain Bhaya echoed similar concerns, stating that complaints about the building’s condition had been long neglected.

Bhaya urged a statewide survey of school buildings to avoid future tragedies. The Rajasthan government has now prioritized repairing dilapidated school infrastructure and Anganwadi centres.