Una, Feb 13: Ten children were injured after roof tiles from the lobby ceiling collapsed onto them during their morning prayer session in Una in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district.

The incident occurred at the primary school in Vashoj village, Una, on Thursday. Ten children sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious and were promptly transported to the Una Government Hospital via 108 emergency services for treatment.

Among the injured, students from Classes four and five suffered the most severe injuries, particularly to their heads. Four to five children were reported to be in critical condition and are currently receiving medical attention.

Preliminary reports suggest that the collapse may have been triggered by vibrations from loud music played at a nearby wedding ceremony.

More details were awaited as the probe was on.

However, this incident has raised concerns about the construction quality of the school building. Questions are being asked about the integrity of the structure and why such substandard materials may have been used. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse and to assess the structural safety of the school building to prevent future incidents.

In recent years, Gujarat has witnessed several incidents involving structural collapses in educational institutions, raising concerns about building safety standards. In July 2024, a classroom wall at Shree Narayan Vidhyalay near Gurukul crossroads in Vadodara collapsed, injuring a Class 7 student. The incident occurred during a break, which prevented a major catastrophe as most students were outside the classroom at the time. The injured student received primary treatment and was reported to be stable.

In another incident in September 2024, at least 23 labourers were injured when iron beams of an under-construction structure fell upon them at Chandrabala Modi Academy in Kondh village near Valia town, Bharuch district. The injured were rushed to a hospital in Ankleshwar for treatment.

Mumbai: The examination centres where mass copying for classes 10 and 12 board exams is reported will be barred permanently, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said.

Forty two cases of copying were reported on the first day of the HSC examination for class 12 on Tuesday, according to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).

Maharashtra CM Asks Officials To Monitor Sensitive Examination Centres

Fadnavis on Tuesday asked officials to monitor sensitive examination centres through drones and video cameras. He directed the sacking of school employees or teachers if they were involved in facilitating copying.

The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Fadnavis also interacted with all district collectors and police officials and took stock of the preparation for exams.

The chief minister said district collectors should form special squads which should reach examination centres an hour before the exam starts and wait until the answer sheets are submitted to the custodian.

It is the joint responsibility of the district collector, superintendent of police, and chief executive officer of the Zilla parishad to prevent copying in exams. Similarly, in urban areas, it will be the responsibility of the municipal commissioner and police commissioner, he said.

Fadnavis also directed district collectors, superintendents of police and chief executive officers of Zilla Parishads to visit sensitive examination centres on the days when English, Mathematics and Science papers are scheduled.

About The Exam

The Class 12 board exams commenced at 3,373 centres in the state. The exams will continue till March 18.

Fadnavis said any unauthorised person should not be allowed in 100 metres from the examination centre. Steps should be taken to ensure students do not carry any material that can lead to copying in exams, he said.

It is also expected from the flying squad to effectively take steps to ensure copy-free examination, the CM said.

The State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education stated, “42 cases of copying were reported on the first day of HSC examination.” More than 15 lakh students appeared for the first paper, English, at more than 3,000 exam centres in the state.

Out of 42 cases of copying (malpractices), 26 were reported from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, eight in Pune, three in Nashik, two each in Amravati and Nagpur and one in Latur.

Mumbai, Konkan, and Kolhapur registered zero cases of malpractice.

Meanwhile, a student appearing for the exam at a centre in Pune’s Narhe area tried to jump from the second floor. He suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital, officials said.

Mumbai: The rapidly evolving world of cybercrime is posing new challenges, with cybercriminals increasingly using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deceive the public, said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday. In response, the CM emphasised the urgent need for technological solutions to combat these cyber threats. He highlighted that the government is committed to offering full support for student startups in the AI field, recognising the importance of innovation in securing the digital future.

The remarks were made during the prize distribution ceremony for the ‘Cyber Hack-2025’ competition, which took place at the campus of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj University. Among the distinguished attendees were Police Commissioner Ravindra Kumar Singhal, Deputy Police Commissioner Nisar Tamboli, and cybersecurity expert Amit Dubey.

The Chief Minister noted that cyber frauds are on the rise across the country, and there is an increasing need to focus on cybercrime prevention. Maharashtra has developed a dedicated cyber platform, which has also been praised by the central government. Recently, a report highlighted Maharashtra’s status as a hub for startups, further underscoring its role in the growth of technological innovation.

‘Cyber Hack’ was a distinctive initiative by Nagpur city police aimed at finding solutions to the emerging challenges of cybercrime and cybersecurity. The competition, launched on January 6, spanned five themes and aimed to tackle key issues in the realm of cyber technology. The first round of the competition was conducted online, with 600 teams from across the country participating. These teams presented their solutions to various cyber-related problems. After an intensive selection process, 20 teams were shortlisted for the final (offline) round, which took place at the Indian Institute of Management Nagpur on January 7 and 8.

The winners of the competition were recognised at the ceremony, with Ramdev Baba College claiming the first prize, Infosys Corporate securing second place, and Raisoni College finishing third.