Patna: Despite a series of fatal incidents at educational institutions across the country, major concerns persist over fire safety standards at coaching centres in Patna, one of India’s largest hubs for competitive examination preparation.
Fresh inspections have highlighted widespread non-compliance with safety regulations, raising questions about the preparedness of coaching institutes to respond to emergencies involving the lakhs of students who arrive in the city every year.
Officials and safety experts warn that unless corrective measures are implemented, the city remains vulnerable to a major accident.
Thousands Of Students, Limited Oversight
Patna attracts an estimated two to three lakh students annually preparing for engineering, medical, civil services and other competitive examinations.
The influx has fuelled rapid growth in the coaching industry across areas such as Kankarbagh, Boring Road, Rajendra Nagar and Lodipur.
However, official data indicates that regulation has struggled to keep pace with expansion.
| Category | Number |
| Estimated Coaching Institutes Operating In Patna | Over 6,000 |
| Registered Coaching Institutes | 529 |
| Institutes Inspected In 2024 Drive | 353 |
| Institutes Ordered Closed | 124 |
The figures suggest that a large majority of coaching centres continue to operate outside the formal regulatory framework.
Staff Unable To Operate Fire Extinguishers
During recent inspections, officials reportedly asked employees at coaching institutes to demonstrate the use of fire extinguishers.
The exercise revealed that many staff members lacked even basic knowledge of how to operate firefighting equipment.
The findings have intensified concerns about student safety, particularly in multi-storey buildings that often accommodate hundreds of students at a time.
Safety experts note that the presence of fire extinguishers alone is insufficient unless staff members are trained to use them effectively during emergencies.
Fire Safety Compliance Remains Incomplete
According to data from the District Fire Department, only a portion of the coaching institutes that have applied for fire clearance currently meet all prescribed safety standards.
| Fire Safety Status | Number Of Institutes |
| Fully Compliant | 178 |
| Partial Compliance / Default | 106 |
| Total Institutes That Applied For Fire NOC | 284 |
Officials said inspections are continuing and action will be taken against institutions found violating safety norms.
Area-Wise Compliance Shows Wide Variation
The inspection data also revealed significant differences across localities.
Lodipur
| Status | Number |
| Total Institutes | 113 |
| Non-Compliant Institutes | 33 |
Barh
| Status | Number |
| Total Institutes | 33 |
| Fully Compliant | 1 |
| Non-Compliant | 32 |
Kankerbagh
| Status | Number |
| Total Institutes | 40 |
| Compliant Institutes | 37 |
Secretariat Area
| Status | Number |
| Total Institutes | 26 |
| Compliant Institutes | 16 |
The figures indicate that while some localities have made progress in implementing safety measures, others continue to lag significantly behind.
