Overview
- On Sunday May 31, around 20–25 candidates and some attendants standing at a photocopy shop outside HN Mishra PG College in MacRobertganj fell into a sewage drain when a dilapidated concrete slab gave way.
- Local residents and fellow aspirants pulled those trapped from the drain and four candidates suffered minor injuries while a guardian was taken to hospital and many admit cards, clothes and books were ruined.
- Kanpur police said overcrowding caused the slab to collapse and officers helped the injured before candidates proceeded to sit the Uttar Pradesh B.Ed. joint entrance exam at 19 centres as scheduled.
- Candidates and parents staged protests blaming municipal negligence, saying a late requirement for Aadhaar photocopies triggered the rush and demanding inspection and repair of drains near exam venues.
- The incident highlights how ageing public infrastructure plus last‑minute exam logistics can create acute safety risks and is likely to prompt calls for pre‑exam crowd control, municipal inspections, and clearer document rules.