Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi declared on December 17, 2025, that stringent accountability measures will be imposed following the tragic death of a student due to a structural incident in a government school building located in Thiruvallur district, emphasising that lapses in oversight cannot be tolerated.

The Minister disclosed that the affected school structure was erected during 2014–15 utilising funds from NABARD on a site subsequently deemed unsafe, leading to the immediate registration of an FIR and initiation of a comprehensive inquiry to identify and penalise officials responsible for site selection, approval processes, and construction execution.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has approved an ex gratia compensation of Rs 3 lakh for the grieving family, acknowledging that no financial aid can compensate for the irreversible loss, while pledging full governmental assistance for any reasonable demands and ongoing educational support for the deceased student's sibling.

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In response to sharp criticism from BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai questioning the efficacy and authenticity of the state's education system, Minister Anbil Mahesh robustly defended the administration's record, insisting that measurable outcomes and systemic improvements represent verifiable achievements rather than mere perception.

The Minister pointed to proactive retention policies mandating teachers to monitor and reintegrate absent students without time limits, resulting in near-zero dropout rates at the elementary level, alongside a high school dropout rate of 7.7 per cent—substantially lower than the national average of 14.7 per cent—with dedicated programmes in place to drive this figure even lower.

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