About two dozen candidates appearing for the Uttar Pradesh BEd Joint Entrance Examination fell into a sewage drain after a dilapidated concrete slab collapsed outside an examination centre in Kanpur on Sunday morning, police said.
The incident occurred near HN Mishra PG College, where candidates had gathered at a nearby photocopy shop to obtain copies of documents required before entering the examination centre.
According to police and eyewitnesses, numerous candidates and their family members reached the market area before the examination to get photocopies of their documents. Several people stood simultaneously on an old concrete slab covering a drain outside the shop. Unable to bear the crowd’s weight, the dilapidated slab suddenly caved in, causing around 20 to 25 candidates and attendants to fall into the sewage-filled drain.
The incident triggered panic at the spot as candidates and their family members scrambled to safety. Residents and fellow aspirants rushed to help and pulled those trapped out of the drain. Four candidates sustained minor injuries, while several others had their clothes, books, admit cards and other documents damaged in the mishap. One injured guardian was taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.
Police reached the spot after receiving information and controlled the situation while ensuring smooth movement in the area. ACP Colonelganj Chitranshu Gautam said the accident occurred because too many people stood on the dilapidated slab at the same time.
Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said the candidates had gone to a shop in the Nagar Nigam market area to get photocopies of necessary documents.
“The old drain slab collapsed due to overcrowding. A few people suffered minor injuries, but there was no loss of life,” Lal told PTI.
He said the injured received assistance and the candidates later proceeded to their respective examination centres. Police confirmed that despite the disruption, all candidates safely reached their examination centres.
Eyewitnesses said the incident sparked protests by candidates and parents, who alleged negligence by civic authorities and raised concerns about the condition of public infrastructure near a major examination venue.
Shalu Shukla, whose daughter was among those affected, said she received a distressed phone call after the incident.
“She was crying and said she had fallen into the drain. Her clothes were ruined, and she was terrified. This happened because of negligence,” Shukla alleged.
Khushi, a candidate from Hanspuram in Naubasta, claimed that candidates were informed at the last moment that photocopies of their Aadhaar cards were required, leading to a rush at nearby shops.
“There was a huge crowd, and the slab suddenly gave way. Around 20 to 25 people fell into the drain,” she said.
Amit, who had accompanied his sister to the examination centre, said he suffered injuries when the slab collapsed.
“My knee was scraped, and my hand was injured,” he said.
Police said the Uttar Pradesh BEd Joint Entrance Examination was conducted as scheduled across 19 centres in the city under tight security arrangements despite the incident.
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Published By:
Akshat Trivedi
Published On:
May 31, 2026 16:28 IST
