Patna: Panic broke out at a government girls’ school in the Pandarak block of Patna district on Thursday after dozens of students fainted due to extreme heat and humidity. The incident occurred at Chaudhary Ram Prasad Sharma Project Kanya Balika Higher Secondary School, where students began collapsing one after another during class hours.
Local teachers and residents rushed the unwell students to the Pandarak Primary Health Centre. While most were discharged after primary treatment, one student in critical condition was referred to the Barh subdivision hospital for further care.
A preliminary investigation by health officials has pointed to overcrowded classrooms and poor ventilation as key contributors to the incident. The school, which has a sanctioned capacity of just 320 students across eight classrooms, currently accommodates around 1,000 girls—over three times its intended capacity.
School in-charge Satish Kumar stated that the institution was recently upgraded under the PM Shri Yojana, but infrastructural upgrades have not kept pace with the swelling student numbers. “Each room can hold a maximum of 40 students, but we are forced to accommodate over 1000,” he said, calling the situation unsustainable, especially during peak summer months.
The incident has triggered outrage among parents, many of whom rushed to the school demanding answers from the administration. They alleged that authorities had long known about the risks posed by the overcrowded conditions but had failed to take corrective action.
The district health department has visited the school to assess the situation. Parents are now calling for immediate intervention from the education department to ensure student safety and adequate infrastructure.
