India's Student Movement Declines Party Status, Stays Pressure Group

The nationwide outreach campaign, called “Kya Bolti Public,” or “What Does the Public Say,” begins next month. Volunteers will travel to villages and cities to gather feedback on challenges facing students, young workers and families, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said. The effort is meant to build on the protest momentum and broaden the group's reform agenda.

CJP plans to campaign against rising fees at private schools, colleges and test preparation centers. It will also press for improvements at government schools. Dipke said the cost of higher education and coaching is pushing families into debt and making it harder for parents to educate their children.

The group started as a social media joke two months ago before growing into a mass movement. It gave voice to anger over repeated exam paper leaks, rising education costs and other failures in India's education system. The decision to remain a pressure group rather than a political party marks a deliberate choice to avoid the compromises that come with contesting elections.

No further protests have been announced. The campaign kicks off next month.