1 week ago
Gen Alpha Students Protest India’s Failing Government Schools
Many school students in India are protesting because their schools do not have the things they need to learn safely.
Some schools reportedly lack fans, clean toilets, drinking water, teachers or proper buildings.
Students in several states have joined demonstrations and sometimes blocked roads.
In one Rajasthan village, children had been studying in a cattle enclosure.
After a campaign, the government approved a new school building there.
Other protests involved allegations about poor food, caste discrimination and mistreatment.
Officials have promised investigations, repairs or other action in several cases.
Student groups say these protests show that public schools need more attention and money.
Students in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh protested inadequate toilets, fans, drinking water, teachers, buildings and other facilities.
The Cockroach Janta Party’s “School Thik Karo” campaign helped prompt approval of a new building for Rajasthan’s Rampura school, where classes were held in a cattle enclosure.
Protests also raised allegations of molestation, caste discrimination, poor food, unauthorised fees and unsafe or unhygienic conditions.
Officials responded in several cases with investigations, administrative action, assurances or commitments to begin repairs and other work.
Educationist Prabhu Mohapatra said the protests reflected declining public-education priorities, while the Students’ Federation of India announced a nationwide “School Bachao Andolan” campaign.
- Who
- Gen Alpha and Gen Z students, teachers, parents, the Cockroach Janta Party and student organisations including the Students’ Federation of India.
- What
- Students across several Indian states protested school infrastructure problems, teacher shortages, alleged mistreatment and other grievances.
- Where
- Government and government-run schools in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other parts of India, including Jaipur, Ajmer, Lucknow, Bhopal and Unnao.
- When
- The reported protests took place mainly from July through August 2026, with the report dated August 26, 2026.
- Why
- Students sought safer and better learning environments, adequate teachers and facilities, accountability, and greater government investment in public education.
Students and Activists
Authorities and Education Officials
Condition of schools
Students and Activists
Students, parents and campaigners say many government schools lack basic infrastructure, teachers, safe water, clean toilets, electricity and learning facilities.
Authorities and Education Officials
Authorities have responded case by case with assurances, investigations, administrative action and commitments to start pending work, but the report does not provide a broad official response to the wider allegations.
Accountability and grievances
Students and Activists
Protesters have alleged caste discrimination, unauthorised fees, poor food, principal misconduct and sexual molestation, and have demanded investigations or arrests.
Authorities and Education Officials
Officials said some complaints were being investigated; police said a molestation case would be registered, and one education department removed a principal after a facilities protest.
Public-education priorities
Students and Activists
Educationist Prabhu Mohapatra and student organisations view the protests as evidence that students are not being treated as stakeholders and that public education requires greater investment.
Authorities and Education Officials
Government representatives and school officials in several incidents agreed to hear grievances or promised corrective work, although the articles do not describe a competing policy explanation.
Key facts
- Student generation
- The report describes Gen Alpha as people born between 2010 and 2024.
- States reporting protests
- Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
- Rampura school
- The Rajasthan school building was declared dilapidated in September 2025, and classes were being held in a cattle enclosure.
- Rampura response
- The state government approved construction of a new building, with work scheduled to begin September 1, 2026.
- Bhopal allegation
- Students and teacher aspirants alleged that more than 25,000 schools had closed across Madhya Pradesh.
- Kishanpur protest
- Nearly 1,800 students from Classes 6 to 12 demonstrated on July 28.
- National campaign
- The Students’ Federation of India announced a three-month “School Bachao Andolan” campaign.
Quotes
Prabhu Mohapatra
Educationist and former Delhi University history professor
“The protests also reflect the decline in the priority given to education. The deterioration was visible not only in infrastructure but also in teacher availability and the quality of learning. The problem had become particularly evident in northern and eastern India.”
rediff.com
theprint.in
“We had not gone there to seek votes. We had gone to talk about getting the school fixed. Now that the government has approved the start of work from September 1, that issue, including our 48-hour warning, is over.”
rediff.com
theprint.in
Sources
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