Kanpur: A chaotic scene unfolded in Kanpur on Sunday morning when more than 20 candidates appearing for the Uttar Pradesh B.Ed Joint Entrance Examination fell into a sewage drain after a damaged concrete slab suddenly gave way near an examination centre. Videos from the spot quickly spread across social media, showing candidates and local residents scrambling to pull students out of the drain following the accident. The incident took place near HN Mishra PG College in the MacRobertganj area of Kanpur, where a large number of B.Ed aspirants had gathered before entering the examination centre.
Slab Collapses Outside Kanpur Exam Centre
According to police and eyewitnesses, many students and their family members were standing outside a nearby photocopy shop to complete last-minute document formalities when the accident occurred.
The old concrete slab covering a sewage drain reportedly collapsed under the weight of the crowd, causing around 20 to 25 candidates and attendants to fall into the drain.
Several Candidates Injured, Documents Damaged
Police said four candidates suffered minor injuries in the incident, while several others had their clothes, books, admit cards and important documents damaged after falling into the sewage-filled drain.
One injured guardian was taken to a hospital, while others received assistance at the spot before proceeding to their respective examination centres.
Viral Videos Show Rescue Efforts
As panic spread after the collapse, local residents, fellow aspirants and bystanders rushed to help those trapped inside the drain. Videos circulating online showed people pulling candidates out while others attempted to clear the area.
कानपुर के कर्नलगंज में बीएड एंट्रेंस एग्जाम देने आए स्टूडेंट्स एक दुकान पर फोटोकॉपी करा रहे थे, तभी नाले की स्लैब ढह गई। कुछ छात्र नाले में गिरे, लेकिन सभी को सुरक्षित बाहर निकाल लिया गया। #Kanpur #Students @NBTLucknow pic.twitter.com/gs0wLvC8nK
— Praveen Mohta (@MohtaPraveenn) May 31, 2026
#कानपुर – #BED परीक्षार्थी हादसे का शिकार
स्लैब टूटने से 20-25 परीक्षार्थी नाले में गिरे
लोगों ने सभी को सुरक्षित बाहर निकाला#kanpur #bedexam #breakingnews #viralnews #upnews pic.twitter.com/YZbAaXsuFj— Pulkit Tiwari (@Pulkit_tr) May 31, 2026
The incident triggered outrage among candidates and parents, many of whom blamed poor civic infrastructure and negligence for the accident. Several people questioned the condition of public facilities around a major examination venue.
Police Cite Overcrowding As Cause
Kanpur Police said the accident occurred because too many people had gathered on the old slab at the same time. Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal stated that the candidates had assembled near the market area to obtain photocopies of required documents before entering the examination centre. The dilapidated slab could not withstand the crowd and collapsed.
Despite the disruption, authorities ensured that candidates reached their examination centres on time. Police confirmed that the Uttar Pradesh B.Ed Joint Entrance Examination was conducted as scheduled across all 19 centres in the city under security arrangements. The incident has once again drawn attention to concerns over ageing civic infrastructure and crowd management around major examination centres.
