Coaching centres have become "death chambers" and are playing with the lives of students, the Supreme Court said on Monday as it issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi government over the drowning of three Indian Administrative Services (IAS) aspirants in the basement of an institute in the national capital.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan said the incident was an "eye-opener" for all.