For students protesting across France, the grievances are straightforward — overcrowded classrooms, too few teachers and schools in poor condition. Basic facilities are inadequate. In some cases, students say they are being asked to learn in conditions that they believe are simply not good enough.Those grievances have now spilled onto the streets. What began in the Paris region has spread across France, with students blockading schools and clashing with police. Hundreds of schools have been disrupted or closed, and thousands of people have been arrested, news agencies reported.The protests also have an Indian parallel. In recent months, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has moved beyond its agitation over the NEET-UG controversy and the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to a broader campaign focused on the condition of government schools across India. Protesters celebrate after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. (Praveen Khanna/file)Its “School Thik Karo” campaign has taken members to schools in different states, where they have documented problems ranging from broken buildings and inadequate toilets to shortages of teachers and drinking water.The French protests and the CJP campaign are not connected, and they have emerged from very different political contexts. But both draw attention to an issue often overlooked in debates over exams, rankings and education policy: the everyday reality of going to school, from the condition of classrooms and availability of teachers to basic facilities that students rely on.Express InfoGenIE · WorldFrance vs India: Two education movements, one question — are schools fit for students?&Students in France are protesting; in India, the CJP is auditing schools.The two movements are not connected and have different contexts and causes.FRANCEWhat are students protesting?Overcrowded classrooms“We are 35 per class”Teacher & staff shortagesA year with no science teacherDeteriorating buildingsDilapidated, overheated classroomsEducation funding2027 budget +1.7%, below inflationPressure in the systemLong school days, short lunch breaksSource: Al Jazeera, CBS News, Euronews, ReutersINDIAWhat is CJP’s “School Thik Karo” campaign?CJP says the aim is to “fix government schools in villages”: citizens visit a school, fill in its checklist, photograph problems and send the findings to local authorities.SOCIAL AUDIT CHECKLISTCHECKEDDrinking waterFunctional toiletsElectricitySafe classroomsBoundary walls & campus safetyMid-day meals & teacher attendanceAug 15launched on Independence Day13languages for the checklist1.6 millionschools CJP says the platform coversChecklist and figures as stated by the Cockroach Janta Party on its campaign page. CJP has not yet published audit results. Source: Cockroach Janta PartyThe CJP storyFrom an exam scandal to school auditsNEET-UG paper leakMay 2026Jantar Mantar agitation36-day sit-inDemand: Pradhan’s resignationPradhan resignsJuly 25, 2026“School Thik Karo” launchedIndependence Day, August 15, 2026Citizen school audits beginVolunteers audit government schools using CJP’s checklistSource: Al Jazeera, ABC News, Cockroach Janta PartyWhat is similar?Same focus, different routeFRANCEStudents↓Poor school conditions↓Protests and blockadesINDIACJP↓Poor government-school conditions↓Audits + demands for actionBOTTOM LINEDifferent movements. Different contexts. A similar focus on the basic conditions students need to learn.Sources: France: Reuters, AP, Al Jazeera, CBS News, Euronews. India: Cockroach Janta Party (campaign page), Al Jazeera, ABC News (Australia).Express InfoGenIEWhy are French students protesting?The immediate grievances are about the conditions inside French schools. Students have complained about overcrowded classrooms, teacher and staff shortages, poorly maintained buildings and inadequate resources.Some have also raised concerns about long school days and the pressure surrounding university admissions. Reuters reported the example of a 15-year-old student in Pantin, outside Paris, who said her class had 35 students and that there were not enough chairs.Story continues below this adFor students, these are not abstract budget numbers. They are problems they encounter when they walk into the classroom every day.Express InfoGenIE · FranceFrance school protests: 5 numbers that explain the unrestA high-school movement over classroom conditions has spread from Paris across France.01 · WhereTap a pin — the story pops up on the mapParis & PantinRennesBrestStrasbourgClermont-FerrandLyonToulouseMarseilleLa CiotatParis & Pantin · Where it startedThe movement began last week in the Paris region, with protests in Pantin and Aubervilliers.Source: Al Jazeera, CBS NewsRennes · Bins set alightRubbish containers were set on fire during protests.Source: Fox News, CBS NewsBrest · ProtestsProtests reported among the cities hit.Source: Euronews, CBS NewsStrasbourg · Tear gasPolice used tear gas against protesters.Source: Reuters, Fox NewsClermont-Ferrand · ProtestsNamed among the cities where protests took place.Source: CBS NewsLyon · ProtestsProtests reported among the cities hit.Source: EuronewsToulouse · ProtestsProtests reported in the city.Source: Al JazeeraMarseille · Fireworks & remote classesFireworks were fired at police; many schools switched to remote classes.Source: Euronews, Fox NewsLa Ciotat · ProtestsNamed by Reuters among the towns affected.Source: ReutersCities named in Reuters, AP, Euronews, Al Jazeera and CBS reports. Pins placed from city coordinates.02 · The numbersFive figuresin police custody, 90% minorshigh schools disruptedof 3,700 high schools shut Fridayschool staff injured, incl. 40 principals€65.53bn2027 education budget, +1.7%Custody and injury figures from French ministers via AP and Reuters. Budget excludes teacher pensions; the 1.7% rise is below inflation.03 · TimelineHow it spread — tap a step1Last week2Days later3This week4Thursday–Friday5NowLast weekProtests begin in the Paris region over classroom conditions.Days laterThe movement spreads to cities across France.This weekClashes with police: tear gas, fireworks, burning bins.Thursday–FridayAbout 2,000 people in custody; ~400 high schools shut.NowGovernment crisis meeting; parents told to keep children away.04 · Why students are protestingTap a note to read what students sayOvercrowded classroomsTap to read →“We are 35 per class, we don’t have enough chairs in classrooms.”A student, to Al JazeeraTeacher shortagesTap to read →“For a whole year, we didn’t have a science teacher.”A student, to CBS NewsRun-down buildingsTap to read →Students describe dilapidated buildings and overheated classrooms.CBS News, EuronewsSchool-day pressuresTap to read →Long school days, and a one-hour lunch break too short for everyone to get food.Al Jazeera, EuronewsSources: Reuters, AP, CBS News, Al Jazeera, Euronews, Fox News, French education and justice ministries.Express InfoGenIE How did the protests spread?The protests began in the Paris region before spreading to other parts of France. By Friday, the disruption had become nationwide.The French Education Ministry said 560 schools had been affected, the Associated Press reported. Reuters said around 400 high schools were closed on Friday.Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said around 5,000 people had been arrested since Monday, most of them teenagers, Reuters reported. AP had reported more than 1,900 arrests at an earlier stage of the unrest.Story continues below this adReuters reported confrontations involving riot police in Strasbourg, Marseille and Rennes. Fires were started in some places and fireworks and other projectiles were thrown at police. In Pantin, fences were burned, and firecrackers were thrown at riot police, Reuters reported.The French government has argued that people intent on causing disorder have joined the student movement. Rights groups, meanwhile, have accused police of excessive force in some incidents. Reuters reported that authorities were investigating allegations of police violence.What does the French government say?The government has acknowledged concerns about education but has strongly condemned attacks on police, teachers and school officials. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said 65 education workers had been injured, including 40 headteachers, Reuters reported.AP reported that 305 police officers were injured on Thursday. Teachers’ unions have also announced a strike for Tuesday.Story continues below this adWhy is money at the centre of the dispute?The school protests are unfolding alongside a much wider argument about France’s finances and the government’s proposed 2027 budget. The proposed education budget is €65.53 billion, excluding teacher pensions, an increase of 1.7 per cent, according to Reuters.