A government-run Urdu-medium school in Varthuru, Bengaluru, has come under scrutiny after CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka alleged that around 70% of its classrooms have been shut because of falling roof material, while students continue to attend classes in the remaining rooms.
Ranka raised the issue through a post on X, claiming that students told his team that a portion of the roof had previously fallen on them. He questioned why classes were allegedly continuing in rooms where there could be a safety risk and tagged the Karnataka Chief Minister’s office and CJP-linked accounts seeking government intervention.
However, the structural-safety allegations have not yet been independently verified. At the time of the report, there was also no publicly available statement specifically addressing Ranka’s claims from Karnataka’s Education Department or Bengaluru civic authorities.
🏫 What Is Being Alleged at the Varthuru School?
The controversy centres on the Government Urdu Higher Primary School in Varthuru, Bengaluru Urban.
According to publicly available school records, the government-managed Urdu-medium school has:
- 69 students
- 6 listed classrooms
- Classes from 1 to 7
- Drinking-water facilities
- Toilets
- A library
- A reading corner
These records, however, do not constitute a current structural-safety assessment. They also do not independently confirm the claim that around 70% of classrooms have been closed because of falling roofs.
Ranka alleged that students had previously experienced a section of the roof falling on them and questioned why children were still being taught in the remaining classrooms.
⚠️ Bagalkote School Ceiling Collapse Raises Concern
The Varthuru allegations have emerged only days after a government-school ceiling collapse in Bagalkote district on September 2.
A portion of the concrete ceiling at Mugalolli Tanda Government Primary School collapsed while classes were underway. Initial reports mentioned five injured students, while subsequent official accounts put the number at six. The students were taken for medical treatment and were reported to be safe.
The incident prompted the Karnataka Lokayukta to initiate suo motu proceedings and order a wider safety audit of government schools in Bagalkote.
Officials were directed to ensure that students are not allowed to attend classes in portions of school buildings considered unsafe. The audit also called for inspections by qualified engineers and alternative arrangements wherever necessary.
🔍 Action After Bagalkote Collapse
According to the report, authorities also initiated suspension-related action against the school’s headmaster and two engineers in connection with the Bagalkote incident, including issues surrounding mandatory building fitness certification and inspection procedures.
Classes 4 to 6 were also to be shifted to a nearby Karnataka Public School, while four new classrooms were planned.
Authorities ordered reassessment of the structural fitness of all 9,449 classrooms in Bagalkote district, along with third-party inspections.
The Bagalkote incident has therefore added urgency to concerns about the condition of government-school buildings elsewhere in Karnataka.
📋 Allegations Need Official Verification
While Ranka’s claims have brought attention to the Varthuru school, social-media allegations and official structural assessments are not the same thing.
A building’s safety cannot be conclusively determined simply through photographs, videos or visual inspection. A qualified engineer needs to assess the structure before deciding whether classrooms are fit for occupation.
Similarly, claims regarding:
- The exact number of classrooms closed
- Previous incidents involving falling roof material
- The structural condition of the building
- Responsibility for maintenance
- Whether safety inspections have been conducted
need to be verified through official records and inspection reports.
At the time of publication, no specific public response from Karnataka’s Education Department or local civic authorities addressing Ranka’s Varthuru allegations had been located.
🏫 CJP’s School Thik Karo Campaign
Ranka’s visit is linked to CJP’s School Thik Karo campaign, through which the organisation says it is visiting government schools and documenting infrastructure-related concerns.
The campaign has highlighted issues involving school buildings, sanitation, classrooms and other basic facilities.
The Varthuru issue has subsequently been connected by CJP’s social-media accounts to the recent Bagalkote ceiling collapse.
⚖️ Safety First, But Claims Must Be Evidence-Based
The central concern remains the safety of children attending government schools.
If an inspection establishes that any classrooms at the Varthuru school are structurally unsafe, authorities would need to take immediate steps to prevent students from using those areas and provide safe alternative arrangements.
At the same time, the specific claims regarding the Varthuru school need independent verification and an official structural assessment before responsibility or negligence can be established.
The recent Bagalkote incident demonstrates why preventive inspections and timely maintenance of school buildings are critical, rather than waiting for an accident to occur.
📌 Key Facts at a Glance
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Government Urdu Higher Primary School |
| Location | Varthuru, Bengaluru Urban |
| Medium | Urdu |
| Students | 69 |
| Listed Classrooms | 6 |
| Allegation | Around 70% classrooms shut due to falling roofs |
| Who Raised the Issue? | CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka |
| Recent Related Incident | Bagalkote school ceiling collapse |
| Date of Bagalkote Incident | September 2, 2026 |
| Students Injured | Six according to subsequent official accounts |
| Current Status of Varthuru Claim | Not independently verified |
