A government Urdu school in Varthur, Bengaluru, has come under scrutiny after CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka alleged that around 70% of its classrooms have been shut due to falling roofs, while students continue to attend classes in rooms he described as unsafe.
In a post on X, Ranka said students told his team that part of a roof had previously fallen on them, and questioned why classes were still being conducted in potentially dangerous rooms. He tagged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office and CJP-linked accounts seeking intervention.
The allegation comes just days after a government-school ceiling collapsed in Bagalkote on September 2, injuring six students, prompting the Karnataka Lokayukta to order a wider safety audit and direct that no classes be held in unsafe sections. Public school records identify the Varthur institution as Government Urdu Higher Primary School, a government-managed Urdu-medium school with six listed classrooms and 69 students.
However, no publicly available statement from Karnataka’s Education Department or Bengaluru civic authorities specifically addressing Ranka’s Varthur allegations was found at the time of publication, and the structural-safety claims have not yet been independently verified.
Falling Roofs, Students At Risk
Ranka’s allegation centres on the condition of the classrooms at Government Urdu Higher Primary School in Varthuru, Bengaluru. In his post, he claimed that 70% of the classrooms were closed because of falling roofs, but alleged that students were still studying in the remaining rooms despite concerns over their safety. He further said students told his team that a section of the roof had fallen on them previously.
“How can the govt allow such schools to function? Does it not care about the safety of our children?” Ranka asked while tagging the Karnataka Chief Minister’s office and members of CJP’s School Thik Karo campaign. The post was subsequently amplified by CJP’s social-media accounts, which linked the Varthur allegation to the wider concern over school safety in Karnataka.
Publicly available school records confirm that the institution is a government-managed Urdu-medium upper-primary school in Varthuru, Bengaluru Urban. Records list 69 students and six classrooms, with the school serving Classes 1 to 7.
The records also list facilities including drinking water, toilets, a library and a reading corner. However, these databases do not amount to a current structural-safety assessment and do not verify Ranka’s claim that most classrooms have been shut.
Bagalkote Collapse Raises Alarm
The allegations have emerged at a particularly sensitive time for Karnataka’s government schools. On September 2, a portion of the concrete ceiling at Mugalolli Tanda Government Primary School in Bagalkote district collapsed while classes were underway, injuring students. Initial reports said five students were injured, while subsequent official accounts cited six injured students. The children were taken for medical treatment and were reported to be safe.
Following the incident, the Karnataka Lokayukta initiated suo motu proceedings and ordered a comprehensive safety audit of government schools in Bagalkote. It directed officials to ensure that students are not allowed to attend classes in any part of a school building found to be unsafe, and called for inspections by qualified engineers and alternative arrangements wherever necessary.
The response has since included concrete administrative action. According to The Times of India, the headmaster and two engineers faced suspension-related action over the Bagalkote incident, including allegations concerning the mandatory building fitness certificate and inspection process.
Authorities also decided to shift Classes 4 to 6 to a nearby Karnataka Public School and construct four new classrooms. The structural fitness of all 9,449 classrooms in Bagalkote district was ordered to be reassessed by engineering authorities, alongside third-party inspections.
The Bagalkote episode therefore gives added urgency to the concerns raised in Varthur. While there is currently no official finding publicly available confirming that the Varthur classrooms are structurally unsafe, the recent collapse shows why complaints about deteriorating school buildings require prompt inspection rather than waiting for an accident.
From Complaints To Accountability
Ranka’s Varthur visit forms part of CJP’s wider School Thik Karo campaign, through which the organisation says it is visiting government schools, documenting infrastructure problems and placing them in the public domain. The campaign has used social media to highlight concerns around damaged buildings, sanitation, classrooms and other basic facilities.
The approach has also placed school infrastructure firmly in the public conversation. Ranka’s posts are being circulated across social-media platforms, while CJP has specifically connected the Varthur allegation to the September 2 Bagalkote ceiling collapse.
However, social-media allegations and official findings serve different purposes. Photographs or videos can draw attention to visible deterioration, but determining whether a roof is structurally unsafe requires a qualified inspection. Similarly, claims about the number of classrooms closed, previous incidents involving falling material and responsibility for maintenance need to be checked against school records, inspection reports and statements from the education authorities.
At present, the key unanswered question is therefore not simply whether the Varthur school looks unsafe, but whether the relevant authorities have inspected the building and certified the classrooms currently being used by children as fit for occupation. No specific public response from Karnataka’s Education Department or local authorities addressing Ranka’s Varthur claims was located during this review.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
A child’s safety should never become secondary to the availability of classrooms. If even part of the allegation regarding the Varthur school is accurate, the first response should be an immediate structural assessment, transparent communication with parents and teachers, and safe alternative arrangements for students wherever required.
At the same time, allegations must be independently verified so that accountability is based on evidence rather than political or social-media pressure. The recent Bagalkote collapse, and the subsequent action against officials, underline why preventive inspections matter more than waiting for buildings to fail.
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