A class X student sustained a head injury when plaster from the ceiling fell on her during class at the PM SHRI Maharani Laxmibai Girls School in Barkheda, Bhopal. The incident occurred on Friday but came to the attention of authorities only a day later, as the school principal failed to inform the district education department immediately. According to District Education Officer N.K. Ahirwar, the injured student required three stitches on her head and has since been discharged from the hospital. A viral video of the mishap shows panic inside the classroom as a teacher and other students rushed to safety following the sudden fall of the plaster from the ceiling.

The school is part of the Union government’s PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India) initiative, launched in September 2022 to serve as model institutions for implementing the National Education Policy 2020. Bhopal district alone has seven such schools. The video sparked widespread concern and questions over infrastructure safety in government institutions. Officials confirmed that the classroom involved in the accident had structural weaknesses, and an earlier directive had instructed schools to avoid holding classes in rooms deemed unsafe, particularly during the monsoon season.

The incident has reignited debate around infrastructure audits and accountability in public schools, especially those designated as model educational institutions. While the girl’s condition is now stable, education authorities have promised an investigation into the principal’s delay in reporting and the overall negligence in ensuring student safety. Social media users have also demanded immediate renovations and stricter oversight to prevent such potentially life-threatening incidents in future, particularly in government-run educational institutions that cater to vulnerable student populations.