A six-year-old boy was killed and a teacher injured on Monday after a concrete slab holding up the main gate of a government school collapsed in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. The incident occurred just as students were leaving the school in Ramgarh area.
The deceased child was identified as Arbaz Khan. A teacher, Ashok Kumar Soni, sustained injuries and was admitted to the district hospital. The incident has triggered public outrage, especially as it comes just three days after seven children died in a school building collapse in Jhalawar.
Superintendent of Police Abhishek Shivhae (Jaisalmer) said, “One child has died in the incident.” Arbaz's grieving family and relatives staged a sit-in protest with his body outside the school premises, demanding accountability.
Opposition targets state government, cites monsoon risk
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed shock over the recurring school infrastructure failures. “The death of an innocent student due to the collapse of the school gate in Jaisalmer is very sad. After the Jhalawar tragedy, this should be a matter of serious concern for the state government,” he said in a post on X, urging Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to act decisively.
Government orders survey, closure of unsafe school buildings
In response to mounting public anger and back-to-back structural failures in school buildings, the Rajasthan government on Sunday announced a series of emergency measures. These include the closure and demolition of structurally unsafe school buildings, GIS-based mapping of vulnerable structures, and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to monitor school infrastructure.
State School Education and Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar, who chaired a high-level meeting, said a Rs 150 crore proposal has been prepared under the disaster management fund for repairing over 7,500 schools across 170 tehsils.
Red crosses for unsafe buildings, temporary classrooms planned
Dilawar said district collectors have begun surveying schools to identify dangerous buildings. “Structures found to be unsafe will be marked with a red cross and shut down immediately. They will be demolished on priority, and container classrooms will be set up temporarily,” he said.
To systematise monitoring, the state will develop a GIS-linked application under the Shala Darpan portal to track dilapidated and repairable school buildings. The new platform will integrate AI-based risk assessment tools to guide maintenance planning and budget allocation.
Contractors to face penalties for poor construction
To improve accountability, the minister announced the formation of a quality control unit under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. All construction materials and workmanship will be mandatorily tested in PWD-certified laboratories. In case of poor construction, both contractors and engineers will face financial penalties.
Private schools, transport facilities to face safety checks
Safety inspections will also extend to private schools. Authorities will assess school buildings, vehicles, and the fitness of drivers. School management committees will receive training in first-aid and fire safety protocols.
Dilawar also urged MLAs and MPs to allocate 20% of their local area development funds towards school safety. Similarly, funds from development schemes for the Dang, Magra, and Mewat regions will be partially diverted for the same purpose.
Collectors authorised to declare holidays in high-risk areas
Given continuing rainfall, district collectors in vulnerable regions of southeastern Rajasthan have been authorised to declare school holidays. Panchayati Raj officials have also been instructed to review pink toilet projects and enforce regular maintenance of public sanitation facilities.
(With PTI inputs)
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