SC: Coaching centres 'death chambers'

New Delhi, Agencies: Coaching centres have become "death chambers" and are playing with the lives of students, the Supreme Court said on Monday as it issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi government on three IAS aspirants drowning in the basement of an institute here.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said the incident was an eye-opener for all. On July 27, three civil services aspirants drowned in the basement library of Rau's IAS Study Circle in the Old Rajinder Nagar area here after it was flooded following heavy rain.

"This is horrible what we are reading. If need be, we will even close down these coaching centres. For the time being, the coaching should go online, unless there is meticulous compliance of building regulations.

 "These places (coaching centres) have become death chambers. Coaching centres are playing with the lives of these aspirants who have come from different parts of the country with dreams and are working hard," the bench said.