Tragic Loss Sparks Safety Concerns at Delhi Coaching Centres

Recently, a heartbreaking incident in Delhi has caught everyone’s attention after three UPSC aspirants lost their lives in a flooding incident at an IAS coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar. In response to this tragedy, local authorities are now cracking down on illegal constructions and encroachments related to coaching institutes around the city.

On Monday, the municipal authorities inspected Drishti IAS, the coaching centre managed by well-known educator Vikas Divyakirti. Just a day later, they sealed off the basement of their Mukherjee Nagar centre, placing notices at the entrance for the management to contact city officials.

The unfortunate deaths of Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni, and Nevin Dalwin have stirred dissatisfaction among students, many of whom are disappointed by the lack of public comments from notable teachers like Divyakirti and Avadh Ojha.

Vikas Divyakirti is recognized as the founder and managing director of Drishti IAS, which he established in 1999 to help aspirants prepare for civil services exams. He began his teaching career as an assistant professor at Delhi University and garnered respect in the field after passing the Civil Services Examination on his first attempt.

Born in 1973 in Bhiwani, Haryana, Divyakirti is not just an educator but also an author and YouTuber. He has made significant contributions to UPSC exam preparations and is particularly known for his engaging teaching style, especially for Hindi-speaking students.

In November 2022, Divyakirti launched a YouTube channel that quickly gained traction, accumulating over 3.74 million subscribers, and he manages multiple other educational channels as well.

Moreover, Divyakirti made a cameo appearance in the 2023 film ‘12th Fail’, playing himself and contributing to the script, which focuses on a UPSC aspirant’s journey. His work has earned him recognition, including a nomination for the Padma Awards.

On the other hand, Avadh Ojha, another prominent educator in the field, is also facing criticism for not speaking out about the tragedy. Ojha, who founded the IQRA Academy in Pune, is well-known for his motivational talks and has a large following on his YouTube channel.

In the midst of this situation, Divyakirti has finally addressed the safety concerns, acknowledging the anger among students and emphasizing that the issue is more complex than it seems. He extended his condolences to the families of the victims and has called for effective guidelines to ensure the safety of students in coaching institutes.