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The Ministry of Education on Monday issued a clarification after some media reports incorrectly stated that a fire had broken out at its office in the national capital, stressing that the incident actually occurred at the premises of the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) and not at the ministry’s headquarters.
In an official statement, the ministry said its office is located at Kartavya Bhavan-2 on Dr Rajendra Prasad Road in New Delhi, while the fire incident took place at the School of Planning and Architecture’s campus at Indraprastha Estate on Vikas Marg near ITO.
“Certain media reports have incorrectly stated that a fire broke out in the Ministry of Education office,” the statement said. The ministry added that the clarification was being issued to prevent the spread of misinformation surrounding the incident.
According to Delhi Fire Services (DFS), a fire broke out on the second floor of the School of Planning and Architecture building near the PWD headquarters on Monday morning.
A call regarding the blaze was received at around 9.37 am, following which multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Firefighters launched operations on the affected floor soon after arriving at the scene.
The initial response included five water tenders equipped with additional breathing apparatus sets, one water bowser, one breathing apparatus support vehicle and a multipurpose vehicle. Senior fire officials, including the Divisional Officer, Assistant Divisional Officer and Station Officer, also reached the site to supervise the firefighting operation.
The fire was brought under control by around 11 am, officials said.
The Education Ministry said the fire at the SPA building was minor in nature and was quickly brought under control.
“No loss of life or property has been reported,” the ministry said in its statement.
Delhi Fire Services officials also confirmed that no injuries were reported in the incident. Authorities are now working to ascertain the cause of the fire. Details regarding the extent of any damage to the building were not immediately available.
The ministry reiterated that the incident was confined to the SPA premises and had no connection with its office at Kartavya Bhavan.
The clarification comes at a time when the Ministry of Education and Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan are facing intense scrutiny over the CBSE’s On-Screen Marking (OSM) system used for Class 12 board examinations.
Thousands of students and parents have raised concerns over alleged discrepancies in evaluation, including missing marks, answer-sheet mismatches and other issues linked to the new digital assessment system. The Centre has acknowledged that there were “some discrepancies” in the process and has promised corrective measures.
Pradhan recently said the government accepts responsibility for glitches in the OSM system and assured students that no grievance would be left unresolved. The ministry has also said premier institutions including IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras have been involved in overseeing the technology and review process.
The controversy has also taken a political turn, with Rahul Gandhi questioning the awarding of the OSM contract and accusing the government of failing students. The war of words between the Congress leader and Pradhan has intensified in recent days, with the minister defending the system while promising accountability for any lapses.
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