Hundreds of students studying at the Eklavya Model School in Jamli, Sendhwa, embarked on a long march on foot toward the Barwani collectorate to meet Collector Jayanti Singh over pressing grievances. The protesting students alleged that they are being deprived of basic essential facilities within the campus and are subjected to humiliating caste-based slurs and harassment. As soon as word of the massive student protest spread, local administrative and police authorities rushed to the scene to intervene and calm the crowd, though the students remained adamant about their core demands.
The young marchers set out as early as 7:00 AM and have already covered a distance of approximately 17 kilometres on foot. Despite the exhausting trek, the students expressed deep frustration as they had not yet been granted a meeting with the collector. In response to the escalating situation, the Sendhwa Sub-Divisional Magistrate, the Barwani Additional Superintendent of Police, and police forces from three separate police stations including Sendhwa, Julwania, and Nagalwadi arrived at the location to negotiate with the students and manage the gathering.
Medical Teams Deployed at the Site
Taking note of the children's fatigue and growing agitation after hours of continuous walking, health department teams were summoned directly to the protest site under instructions from Sendhwa SDM Ashish. Medical personnel remained on standby to provide immediate healthcare support if needed. Concurrently, heavy security was maintained with personnel from the Sendhwa Rural and Nagalwadi police stations accompanying the students to ensure safety and maintain public order throughout the demonstration.
Core Grievances Raised by the Students
The protest, which originated at the Jamli residential facility, highlights deep-seated grievances regarding institutional neglect and inappropriate behavior by authorities. The children reiterated that essential amenities are missing from their daily lives at the school, compounded by unacceptable caste-based discrimination. Although senior officials arrived to negotiate, the students refused to budge until they could voice their concerns directly to the district head. The combination of high student numbers, long-distance walking, and medical readiness underscored the intensity of the standoff between the administration and the determined students.
Teachers Protest at Neelam Park in Bhopal
Meanwhile, in the state capital, teacher recruitment aspirants have entered the fourth day of an indefinite sit-in protest at Neelam Park in Bhopal. These candidates are demanding an increase in the number of sanctioned posts under the 2025 teacher recruitment drive for grades 2 and 3. Heavy police deployment has been arranged to monitor the situation. Additionally, over a thousand waitlisted candidates from the 2023 grade 1 teacher recruitment examinations are also scheduled to take to the streets to stage demonstrations.
