Nagpur – Abhijit Deepke, the architect behind the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), has taken aim at both central and state administrations for the chronic neglect of tribal‑run schools across India. In a press briefing in Nagpur, Deepke warned that the tribal education system has been left to wither for decades, suffering from chronic under‑investment and bureaucratic indifference.
He announced that the CJP will inaugurate a new “Fix Tribal Schools” movement on 17 September, with the first rally taking place in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. The initiative intends to shine a spotlight on the fundamental rights of tribal pupils, the acute shortage of basic facilities, and the bureaucratic hurdles that impede their learning environment.
As part of the campaign, CJP volunteers will travel to schools situated in predominantly tribal regions to conduct on‑site audits of infrastructure, teaching resources, and student welfare. This follows a previous “Fix Schools” effort that targeted the overall condition of government‑run schools nationwide.
Deepke questioned the budgeting priorities of political parties, pointing out that lavish sums are routinely spent on constructing party offices while the same governments claim there is insufficient funding for residential tribal schools.
He also challenged the narrative of relentless economic progress, insisting that any genuine development must reach the tribal populace. Citing recent data, Deepke claimed that more than 590 tribal students have died in Maharashtra over the past two years—many from preventable causes such as snakebites—and that over 30 children have perished in Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh, within the last two months.
Criticising the compensation mechanisms offered by several states, Deepke argued that families affected by these tragedies receive only token assistance, far short of the dignity and financial security they deserve.
According to the CJP leader, out of the 720 Eklavya Model Residential Schools sanctioned nationwide, a staggering 477 remain non‑operational, leaving countless tribal children without access to quality residential education. He also highlighted the stark under‑representation of tribal students in higher‑education institutions, especially in premier engineering colleges such as the IITs.
Deepke called for a thorough investigation into the systemic barriers that keep tribal students and teachers out of elite academic spaces, urging the government to adopt concrete, measurable reforms to redress these entrenched inequities.
