The students were taken to Saraiya PHC after local media reported the incident and alerted the authorities.

70 students of a residential school in Bihar's Muzaffarpur fell sick today after consuming hostel meal. The school is meant for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students.

10 students have been admitted to Saraiya PHC whereas two have been shifted to the ICU after their condition was reported to be critical. The district magistrate has asked all the local officers to keep a check on the situation.

The students claim they were served food cooked in stale oil causing uneasiness to them after a while. The whole incident came to light after local media went covering it, which in turn forced the authorities to take adequate action.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Saraiya PHC after inspecting the school hostel stated that things are in very bad shape there.

"The kitchen is in pathetic condition and even the cooks were found to be untidy. There's only one handpump for water. Students drink and bathe in the same water. The toilets are in deplorable condition. The sleeping arrangement is shabby and most of the students sleep on the floor as they don't have adequate beds", the CMO said.

What's more shocking is the fact the students were given Rs 100 to keep their mouths shut. They also claim that the headmaster of their school hasn't showed up in two years. The school is managed by the hostel's security guard, Lallan Sharma.

Apparently, the hostel's kitchen menu mentions food items like milk, fruits and sweets. However, when investigated, we could only find rice and potato there, and that too stale.

The doctor treating the students said that the hostel is uninhabitable. What makes matters worse is the desperation with which the authorities are trying to save the school management's skin. They didn't even shy away from blaming the monsoon season for students' illness.

The condition of this Bihar residential school dedicated to SC and ST students in itself tells a horrific tale of how urgently our schooling system needs an overhaul.

(As reported by Mani Bhushan Sharma)

Also read: Muzaffarpur rape case accused Brajesh Thakur admitted to jail hospital

WATCH | Muzaffarpur shelter home rapes are being politicised, says Nitish Kumar