A new wave of protests led by Gen Alpha students is spreading across Indian government schools, with children born between 2010 and 2025 demanding basic classroom amenities. These demonstrations follow August protests by Gen Z at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar that led to the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Unlike earlier campaigns usually organized by adults, these newer protests are driven directly by school-going students.
Reports tracked protests across twenty-five districts in ten states during July and August, featuring sit-ins and road blockages. The students’ demands include enough teachers, safe buildings, and reliable access to drinking water, electricity, and food. In Uttar Pradesh, over a hundred students at a government primary school refused classes out of fear their ageing building would collapse.
State governments have responded differently, with some meeting demands and others restricting video documentation or deploying police. A grassroots campaign called School Thik Karo was launched in mid-August to build on the momentum. Observers note India has little precedent for school-age children organizing such protests on their own initiative, indicating a widening generational gap in patience with unmet basic development promises.