Over 70% Coaching Centres Fail To Meet Fire Safety Norms In Indore

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The devastating fire at a coaching centre in Lucknow on Monday, which reportedly claimed the lives of around 15 students, has once again raised serious concerns over fire safety standards at educational institutions across the country.

In Indore, considered the educational hub of Madhya Pradesh, the situation appears equally alarming, with nearly 70% of coaching institutes allegedly failing to comply with mandatory fire safety norms.

According to available information, Indore is home to nearly 1,800 coaching centres, including around 550 institutes with a student capacity exceeding 300.

Most of these centres operate from multi-storey commercial buildings and, barring a handful, lack adequate fire-fighting arrangements. In several cases, institutes reportedly function without basic fire safety equipment such as extinguishers, emergency exits or evacuation plans.

Every year, lakhs of students from Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states come to Indore to prepare for competitive examinations, including the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), State Service Examinations, National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), Common Admission Test (CAT) and Common University Entrance Test (CUET). Parents send their children to the city with hopes of a better future, often unaware of the safety risks that may exist inside coaching facilities.

The concern is particularly significant as Indore has witnessed major fire incidents in the past that resulted in loss of life. Despite those tragedies, safety compliance at many coaching institutes remains questionable, exposing lakhs of students to potential danger.

Over 500 centres have made safety arrangements, claims ICCA

Ravi Dangi, president of the Indore Coaching Centres Association (ICCA), said more than 1,800 coaching institutes currently operate in the city, with the highest concentration in the Bhawarkuan area. He estimated that over 3 lakh students are enrolled in these institutes.

Indore has become a major destination for competitive exam preparation, attracting students from across the country. Ensuring their safety should be a top priority, Dangi said.

He said most institutes affiliated to ICCA have made fire safety arrangements. More than 500 institutions have made adequate fire safety arrangements following the directives of District Collector Shivam Verma, he said.

102 buildings sealed over violations

Meanwhile, the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has intensified action against establishments violating fire safety regulations.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Prakhar Singh said the IMC has been conducting inspections of commercial buildings, including coaching centres, as part of a citywide enforcement drive.

We have sealed more than 102 commercial buildings in the past few months for violating fire safety norms, Singh said.

He added that the action included coaching institutes found operating without required safety measures. Municipal officials warned that inspections will continue and strict action will be taken against institutions failing to comply with fire safety standards.