Gen Alpha protests highlight Indian school infrastructure gaps

Student-led demonstrations, referred to as ‘Gen Alpha’ protests, have emerged across India, highlighting discrepancies between official government data and the actual condition of school infrastructure.

In Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, students and local residents staged a sit-in protest to demand the relocation of a liquor shop situated near a school. While the Excise Department previously maintained the shop was operating lawfully, protesters forced a temporary shutdown. District Magistrate Dr. Rajendra Pensiya met with the demonstrators and assured them that the administration would take appropriate action.

More broadly, these protests have brought attention to the unreliability of the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE Plus) data. While official records claim nearly all government schools possess functional toilets and drinking water, activists have used social media to document dilapidated classrooms, broken furniture, and unsanitary facilities. Experts suggest that school principals may provide overly optimistic data to avoid professional repercussions, creating a significant gap between reported statistics and ground realities.