In Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar, a race of sorts has erupted between coaching centres to admit the students of Rau's IAS Study Circle institute where three students died after the basement of the building flooded due to gushing rainwater following rains on July 27.
While at least four UPSC coaching institutes -- Vajiram and Ravi Institute, Drishti IAS, NEXT IAS, and SRIRAM's IAS -- have offered Rs 10 lakh each to the families of Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni and Nevin Dalvin, the three IAS aspirants who died, Vajiram and Ravi also offered to enroll students of Rau's Study Circle free of cost.
In a statement on X, Vajiram and Ravi said it is "volunteering to admit free of cost, students, who are currently enrolled with Rau's IAS Study Circle" preparing for the Main Exam 2024 and Prelims-cum-Mains Exam 2025, including general studies classes for the 2025 Prelims and Main Exam, CSAT course and optional subjects.
Meanwhile, Rau's IAS Study Circle's advocate Mohit Saraf said on Thursday that they are offering is a Rs 50 lakh compensation to the kin of each one of the students who has lost life. "Rs. 25 lakhs right away and Rs. 25 lakhs once Abhishek, CEO of the organisation, comes out and we can meet the financial requirement to pay the rest Rs. 25 lakhs," Sarad said.
"I also have committed that the next part will be paid within six months... Different people have different expectations, I am a messenger...," he said.
The coaching hub of Old Rajinder Nagar has become the epicentre of protests in the aftermath of the death the three students. The protest of the students entered their sixth day on Friday.
"The coaching mafia had a meeting yesterday, and in that meeting, this new gimmick of free classes and compensation must have been thought to divert from the main issues," news agency PTI quoted a protester as saying.
Sriram's IAS, Drishti IAS' Offer
Sriram's IAS offered students of Rau's IAS Study Circle to use their "classrooms and libraries whenever they need." NEXT IAS offered compensation to the aggrieved families of the students.
Drishti IAS, run by educator and popular YouTuber Vikas Divyakirti, said it will provide students of Rau's IAS Study Circle free classes for preparation of general studies, test series and optional subjects.
"We understand the disruption faced by students who have enrolled in the current session at Rau’s IAS institute, whose classes have been hampered due to this tragic incident.
"NEXT IAS humbly announces to provide classes for the remaining syllabus for such students enrolled in Rau’s IAS current session (GS/Optional Foundation courses). Our motive to teach (without any charges) is just to help and support students affected by this tragic incident. Such students may contact us by visiting our office after 5th August 2024," it said on X.
