The roof of a Dravidian Model government school building constructed just a year ago in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district collapsed on Sunday (20 July 2025), triggering concerns over the quality and safety of public infrastructure projects. The incident occurred at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Kugalur near Gobichettipalayam. The building, inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in July 2024, had been built at an estimated cost of ₹64.33 lakh.
Fortunately, the collapse happened on a holiday when the school was closed, and no students or teachers were present at the time. The incident has reignited public criticism over recurring structural failures in government school buildings across the state.
Over the past year, similar roof collapses have been reported from various districts, sparking allegations of poor construction standards and lack of accountability. While no injuries were reported in this particular incident, parents and local residents have expressed growing fears about the safety of children attending government-run schools.
In response to the incident, former BJP state president K. Annamalai issued a sharp statement demanding transparency and accountability from the ruling DMK government. In a post on his X account, Annamalai questioned the lack of action against the contractors responsible for such unsafe constructions. He wrote, “In July 2024, the roof of the middle school building in Kugalur Panchayat Union, near Gobichettipalayam in Erode district, constructed at a cost of ₹64.33 lakh and inaugurated by Chief Minister @mkstalin, collapsed yesterday. Fortunately, as it was a holiday, there were no students or teachers in the classroom, narrowly avoiding a major accident. Across Tamil Nadu, the collapse of government school building roofs has become daily news. It is utterly unacceptable that the DMK government acts so carelessly even in constructing buildings for school children. Have the lives of children from poor and humble backgrounds, studying in government schools, become so insignificant to the DMK government? Over the past four years, we have already raised questions about which districts the DMK government has built new school buildings in. In response, the School Education Minister, who is also the president of the Udhayanidhi fan club, merely wrote letters to every constituency MLA and left it at that. The School Education Minister, busy with publicity shoots, must transparently inform the public about who the contractors were for the collapsed school buildings and what actions the DMK government has taken against them. Furthermore, subjecting all the buildings constructed by the DMK government over the past four years to quality assurance testing would be beneficial for people from all sections of society.”
கடந்த 2024 ஆம் ஆண்டு ஜூலை மாதம், ₹64.33 லட்சம் மதிப்பீட்டில் கட்டப்பட்டு, முதலமைச்சர் திரு. @mkstalin அவர்களால் திறந்து வைக்கப்பட்ட, ஈரோடு மாவட்டம் கோபிசெட்டிபாளையம் அருகே உள்ள கூகலூர் ஊராட்சி ஒன்றிய நடுநிலைப் பள்ளிக் கட்டிடத்தின் மேற்கூரை நேற்று இடிந்து விழுந்திருக்கிறது.… pic.twitter.com/KxYnO3xUut
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 21, 2025
A Look At Dravidian Model Schools
Ceiling collapses in Dravidian Model schools, that too newly renovated ones are not new. Here is a list of such instances from the past few months.
#1 Krishnagiri
On 27 August 2024, three Class 11 students were injured when ceiling plaster fell at a newly opened government school in Krishnagiri. Built with MP funds, the incident sparked protests by over 50 parents demanding action against the contractor for alleged poor construction. Authorities assured accountability and safety measures.
#2 Thiruporur
On 9 August 2024, the ceiling of a classroom at a government school in Thiruporur collapsed, injuring five female students and sparking protests from parents who questioned the quality of the construction. The incident occurred at the Government Higher Secondary School in Siruthavur village, which serves over 350 students. At around 2 PM on 8 August 2024, a section of the ceiling in a Class 10 room gave way while 48 students were inside. Five girls sustained injuries and were promptly transported to the Thiruporur government hospital. According to police sources, two of the students were treated and sent home, while Suji, Prathikshaw, and Tamilrasi were admitted with multiple injuries.
#3 Kanchipuram
In another incident in July 2024, the ceiling of a newly constructed Panchayat Union Middle School near Kanchipuram collapsed, causing significant concern. The building, completed three months prior at an estimated cost of ₹62 lakhs, had its ceiling in one classroom suddenly give way. The incident resulted in a fan blade bending. Fortunately, the students were on the ground at the time, offering their prayers, and no one was injured. In response, parents demanded an immediate investigation by the District Collector into the building’s stability and called for strict action against those responsible. The Panchayat Union Primary and Middle Schools in Kuruvimalai had three new structures erected at a cost of ₹61.73 lakhs before the last parliamentary elections.
#4 Tirupattur
On 3 March 2024, three students from a government school near Vaniyambadi were seriously injured when the roof of a newly inaugurated classroom gave way. The collapse occurred at a panchayat union primary school in Shankarapuram, Tirupattur district.
#5 Vaniyambadi
Three students were seriously injured when the roof of a newly inaugurated classroom collapsed at a panchayat union primary school in Shankarapuram, Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur district, on 4 March 2025. The building, constructed in 2023–2024 at a cost of ₹21 lakh with funds from AIADMK MLA Senthilkumar, had been inaugurated in August 2024. The injured students, Praneeth (Class 1), Sudarsan (Class 3), and Vishek, were rescued and taken to a private hospital.
#6 Dindigul
Seven students were injured on 7 March 2025 when the roof of a recently repaired fourth-grade classroom collapsed at Dindigul Corporation Middle School. The school, built in 2009 during the DMK government, has faced structural issues, prompting ₹1 crore worth of repairs, including the affected classroom. The incident sparked panic among parents and led to the suspension of Assistant Executive Engineer Thiagarajan. Former AIADMK Minister C. Sreenivasan blamed substandard construction, while DMK Minister I. Periyasamy defended government efforts, attributing the collapse to an older faulty repair.
#7 Tiruvarur
On 7 April 2025, a roof collapse at a government middle school in Sekalangiri village, Tiruvarur district, injured four students during class. One student was seriously hurt and taken to Tiruvarur Medical College, while three others were treated for minor injuries. The building, less than a year old, has sparked public outrage over construction quality. Parents and locals demanded an immediate investigation and accountability for the substandard work. The incident follows a similar accident in Kanchipuram a day earlier, intensifying concerns about student safety in Tamil Nadu’s government schools. Many parents are now hesitant to send their children to school.
#8 Ranipet
In Ranipet, a 13-year-old boy from Thenkadappanthangal sustained serious head injuries when a boundary wall collapsed at his government school during lunch break. The eighth-grade student of the Government Panchayat Union Middle School was playing near the wall when it suddenly gave way. He was first rushed to Walajapet Government General Hospital and later transferred to CMC Hospital in Ratnagiri for advanced treatment. The incident prompted visits from education officials and has sparked concern among local residents.
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