No One Is Checking: Fire Safety in India's Coaching Hostels
Lakhs of students live in unregulated coaching hostels every year. We inspected fire safety compliance at 30 hostels across three cities.
Investigation Timeline
Apr 2026
Investigation begins with a survey framework built alongside a fire-safety consultant.
May 2026
On-site inspections conducted across 30 hostels in three cities.
Jun 2026
Findings shared with municipal and education authorities for response.
Jul 2026
Report published alongside official responses received.
Chapter 1: Thirty Hostels, One Pattern
Of the thirty coaching hostels we visited, only six had a valid, current fire safety clearance certificate on display. Emergency exits were blocked by storage in eleven buildings we surveyed.
Chapter 2: The Regulatory Gap
Coaching hostels frequently fall between municipal building codes and education department oversight, with neither authority claiming full responsibility for safety audits.
Chapter 3: Student Voices
Several students described being aware of the risks but having no alternative given limited affordable housing options near coaching centres.