Gen Alpha students block road over food, teacher shortage at Uttar Pradesh govt school

After protests in Lucknow, student anger has now spilled onto the streets of Unnao, where hundreds of students from Jayaprakash Narayan Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Nyotni, Mohan walked out of their campus and blocked the main intersection on the Mohan-Ajgain route.Carrying placards and raising slogans, the students said they were unhappy with the lack of teachers and the quality of food being served at the school. They said they would not sit for their examinations until a full teaching staff was appointed.The school caters to hundreds of underprivileged students from different parts of the region.TEACHER SHORTAGE, FOOD QUALITY SPARK ANGERThe students told officials that several subjects were being affected by the shortage of teachers. They also complained that the food served in the school was often substandard and unhygienic. The students also raised concerns over the lack of proper drinking water arrangements.One student, speaking about the conditions, said there were very few people available in the canteen and complained about difficulties with basic supplies, including T-shirts. The student also said they had been brought back inside the school after the protest but felt their concerns remained unanswered. The protest caused traffic to come to a standstill on the busy road. Students protesting on road in Unnao OFFICIALS ARRIVE TO PACIFY STUDENTSPolice reached the spot soon after the protest began and tried to speak to the students. However, the students remained firm on their demands.The Chief Development Officer, Additional District Magistrate and Additional Superintendent of Police subsequently reached the site and held discussions with the students.District Magistrate Ghanshyam Meena and Superintendent of Police Jai Prakash Singh also visited the school. They spoke to the students, inspected the food being served and even ate the meal with them.Officials assured the students that their concerns would be addressed.PROTEST TAKES A POLITICAL TURNThe issue later took a political turn when Anchal Verma, a Samajwadi Party leader who had previously contested elections for the party, reached the school with her supporters and staged a sit-in outside the gate.Verma questioned how the students were able to leave the school campus and raised concerns over the lack of teachers for Physics, Chemistry and Biology.“There should be a pen and a book in our hands. Today our children are forced to walk on the streets,” she said, while criticising the government over the condition of education.She also questioned the availability of clean food and drinking water and said the situation showed the gap between government claims about promoting education and the reality faced by students.- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Aug 19, 2026 14:40 IST