The National Students' Union of India called on the government to investigate the cause of the collapse and hold anyone found responsible to account.

"Negligence with the safety of students and common people will not be tolerated at any cost," it said.

Satya Niketan is a densely populated area which houses a large student population, with a number of hostels in the neighbourhood.

Many students who come from outside Delhi to attend South Campus colleges are forced to live in cheap private hostels and paying-guest (PG) accommodations due to a lack of hostel facilities on campus.

"There are 75 students in Sociology Honours class, but only two get a seat in the college hostel. All other students have to live here," Sawai Sharma, a student of Venkateswara College, told BBC News Hindi.

Sharma, who often visited a friend who lived in the building and narrowly escaped the accident, said a bed in the building cost 18,000 rupees ($190; £140) a month, making it affordable for students.

Another student, Shivam Yadav, said a friend of his lived in the building and was in his room at the time of the accident.

"He was on the third floor at the time of the accident. He has been rescued and sent to hospital."

Yadav said that most of the buildings in Satya Niketan are "overloaded".

"The buildings are in a dilapidated condition. No inspections are conducted. There are no rules or guidelines here."

College student Ankit Tiwari said conditions at these hostels and PGs "are appalling".

"Students are paying a lot for a very small space which they share with others. There is no proper water or sewage facility here."

Tiwari, who lives nearby, reached the site about half an hour after the collapse. "Students were helping each other as we came first, before the rescue teams arrived. What we saw was tragic. We have been finding books, mangled desks and study notes," he said.

Building collapses are relatively common in Delhi, with more than a thousand recorded in the past three years causing dozens of deaths, according to fire department figures.

Poor foundations, inadequate materials and unqualified construction workers were among the common reasons for collapses.

Eleven people, including three children, were reportedly killed last April when a residential building collapsed in north-eastern Delhi.

In 2024, three students drowned after getting trapped in the flooded basement of an exam coaching centre in capital Delhi, sparking anger and protests.

Additional reporting from Aleks Phillips