Patna, Oct. 4 -- In a Bihar government school where a pillar has collapsed, benches and desks have taken its place - literally holding up the roof. At Kiratpur Primary School in Darbhanga's Alinagar block, the makeshift support has raised concerns over the safety of 191 children.

The government primary school, which has classes from I to V, has only two rooms. But one room is currently occupied by office furniture and an almirah, leaving little space for regular classes. With the building in poor condition, lessons are now being conducted in open areas and a kitchen shed on the premises.

The two-room building was constructed in 1983 under the Centre's 'Operation Blackboard' programme. More than four decades later, its roof leaks during ...