Gen Alpha students protest teacher shortage in Lucknow, minister steps in

Gen Alpha students of Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya Vidyalaya protested over a shortage of subject teachers and school irregularities. Minister Asim Arun joined them, heard their grievances and assured action on teacher vacancies and coaching support.Lucknow Gen Alpha students protest teachers' shortage, minister assures action (screengrab)Gen Alpha students of a government school staged a protest on Friday morning over a shortage of subject teachers, briefly blocking traffic before Uttar Pradesh Minister Asim Arun joined them on the road and took them back to the school to hear their grievances.Students of Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya Vidyalaya came out of the school at around 9 am and staged a demonstration on Budheshwar-Mohan Road in the Para area, carrying posters and banners.The students alleged that the shortage of teachers was affecting their studies, police said. The Para police team reached the spot after receiving information and spoke to the students.According to a police statement, the students also raised concerns over certain irregularities at the school. Police persuaded them to end the protest and return to the school premises, following which the road was cleared and traffic was restored. STUDENTS DISCUSSED GRIEVANCES WITH OFFICIALSThe students were subsequently seated in the school's meeting hall, where education officials and teachers held discussions with them.Adequate police force, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kakori, was deployed at the spot. The situation remained peaceful, police said.MINISTER JOINS STUDENTS Arun, the state social welfare minister (independent charge), was coincidentally passing through the area on his way to Kannauj for an official programme when he saw the protest.The minister, who is also the Kannauj MLA and whose department oversees the school, delayed his journey and got down to speak to the students.He then accompanied the students into the school and held discussions with them and officials for around two hours.“I am satisfied that the children were not protesting because they wanted to cheat or avoid attendance. They were protesting because they wanted their studies to be as good as possible,” Arun told PTI.COURT CASE AFFECTS TEACHER APPOINTMENTSArun said some teachers had been unable to join their posts due to a court case, affecting teaching at some schools run by the Social Welfare Department.“The case is scheduled for hearing on the 17th, and we are confident that we will present our case strongly before the high court and soon make arrangements for guest lecturers and teachers,” he said.He said guest teachers had been arranged last academic session to fill vacancies and that the arrangement was being continued this year.MINISTER ASSURES STUDENTS OF COACHING SUPPORTThe minister also assured the students that their demand for improving coaching under the Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana would be addressed. The scheme provides coaching for competitive examinations and advanced studies, he said.The protest by the students, referred to as Gen Alpha, comes shortly after similar demonstrations by school students in Fatehpur, Hamirpur and Kannauj over education and basic infrastructure-related issues.Arun later resumed his journey to Kannauj for the scheduled programme, while the students continued with their classes.(With PTI inputs)- EndsPublished By: Karan YadavPublished On: Aug 16, 2026 12:08 IST