Young Indians demand better schools, as failures in public education, infrastructure and accountability threaten their futures and the nation’s progress.
Young Indians demand better schools, as failures in public education, infrastructure and accountability threaten their futures and the nation’s progress
In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Modi spoke of ‘Saptadhara’, which he defined as the ‘seven streams of power’ that envisions the bolstering of the domestic manufacturing sector, agriculture and food processing, development of new technologies and innovation, investment in infrastructure, in defence capability, in the green and blue economies and the promotion of Indian soft power through the spread of yoga, Indian healing systems, and the promotion of tourism. This is indeed impressive but they are the superstructure. And so far we have seen more of the many slips between the cup and the lip than ever. It isn’t that India is not progressing in numerous fields but the regress seems to far outweigh the progress. At this point, statistics would be brandished but they do not tally with citizens’ lived experiences. Comparisons would also be made with past ‘failures’ but there is no mention of the technological and other environment then ~ in fact of the over-all global environment of over a decade ago.
This is where the multifarious aspects of our education system particularly school education come into focus. The fact is no envisioning of ‘Saptadhara’ can occur without the infrastructure of a sound and solid school education. The NITI Aayog estimates that 8.7 crore young Indians aged 15 to 29 are neither in education, employment nor training. Nearly 88% are engaged in domestic duties. NITI Aayog, in the report titled ‘Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat@2047’, said the estimate is based on data from the 78th round of the National Sample Survey conducted in 2021.
To ensure the highest impact, the Aayog organised India’s workforce landscape and learners into five segments ~ schooling; tertiary education; formal and informal work; not in education, employment and training (NEET) youth; and women. This report states: “NEET youth are constrained by the absence of income and the sunk cost of prior education. Students often cannot layer paid skilling onto existing financial commitments.” The Aayog has defined NEET youth as youth comprising individuals between the ages of 15 and 29 who are not engaged in education, employment, or training, as well as those who are unemployed. Meanwhile, the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), July 2026 states youth unemployment stands at 15.6%, rising to a shocking 19.5% among young women. This indicates gross neglect thus a failure of our education system.
A recent NITI Aayog report and data from UDISE+ reveal that roughly 94,000 government schools were closed or merged across India over the preceding decade (averaging 25 schools per day). Public school enrolment dropped by 22.6 million students over a ten-year span, reducing the government school share of total enrolment from 71% in 2005 to about 49.2%. Ministry of Education figures show over 65,000 government schools operating with fewer than 10 students, with more than 5,100 recording zero enrolment. Reasons for this dismal state of education are indubitably many but it also reflects sheer marginalization of education and the shrinking economic ability of the most vulnerable section of society whose only option to obtain education are government schools.
Even in the existing schools, students themselves are highlighting the absence of basic amenities like fans and benches, functioning classrooms, clean toilets, safe surroundings, adequate trained and qualified teaching staff and access to drinking water and are demanding books, libraries, labs, safe drinking water, deployment of trained and qualified teacher, etc. ~ all of which should form the minimum standard of education. Moreover, children still don’t have proper roads and bridges to go to school. Any sensitive lawyer would realize that the children’s demands across the country underscores child abuse therefore the silence of the national commissions for human rights and children ~ even the judiciary ~ is bewildering.
Given the circumstances, that the Cockroach Janta Party emerged, midwifed by the Chief Justice of India, resulting in the events of July 20 at Jantar Mantar and the aftermath is not surprising. The NEET examination paper leak was the stick that was waiting to strike the matchbox and it did, which eventually unearthed the skeletons in the country’s education cupboard and the freed worms are becoming hard to contain. Instead of hastening to make amends and damage control, the Governments at the Centre and the states decided on the colonial methods of violence and suppression hoping they would put to rest dissenting and dissonant voices. As we can see, physical, mental, psychological and legal attacks and assaults haven’t worked. In fact, young school students across the country are beginning to demand accountability for the shameful lapses in school education. The godi media may remain silent on them but for Gen Z and Generation Alpha television is an irrelevant antediluvian tool. More importantly, Gen Z and Generation Alpha are also aware that India’s GDP spending in schools, at 4.1%, is below the recommendation of the National Education Policy and public schools, per NITI Aayog’s report, suffer not only from high dropout rates but also poor learning outcomes. They know because they are the victims.
After embarking on its “School thik karo” campaign, the CJP, which has put government schools at the centre of its campaign on education reforms, wrote to all state governments and copy to all Education Ministers on August 24 last, seeking data on school infrastructure, teacher vacancies and funding over the past five years. The CJP sought details of the number of government schools renovated over the past five years and those still requiring repairs or renovation. It also asked state governments to disclose the number of sanctioned, filled and vacant teaching posts and provide figures on funds allocated to government schools over the past five years against the amount actually spent. The CJP sought estimates of how many additional government schools are needed to ensure reasonable access to quality education and details of non-teaching duties assigned to government school teachers, as also demanded data on how many schools have adequate computers and digital-learning facilities, clean and functional toilets, and proper sports facilities and equipment. It further urged the Education Ministries to make the information public and take “urgent steps” to address deficiencies in government schools, calling for improvements to public education infrastructure on a “war footing”.
The CJP’s queries should have been public knowledge without being asked but obviously in India politicking is prioritised over children’s lives and future. It is doubtful whether state governments would respond to the CJP because young people and youth movements are never taken serious ~ they are viewed as irritants to be crushed. But you see, this is where the test begins for Prime Minister’s ‘Saptadhara’. Young people and youth movements do not exist in vacuums ~ anything that concerns them ~ nay, is existentially crucial for them ~ becomes the concern and existentially crucial for the entire citizenry and the future of the nation. Will our governments continue on trodden paths or opt for paths they seem to lack the vision and courage conviction to take? The coming months will be decisive.Hopefully, a CJP team will also find the path to the Northeast soon.
Monalisa Changkija
(She is a Dimapur-based veteran journalist, poet, and former Proprietor, Publisher and Editor of Nagaland Page. Written on August 25, 2026 and published in the August 28, 2026 issue of Assam Tribune)