Gen Z Adivasis in Maharashtra Protest for Better Hostel Infrastructure and Job Assurances

A rising wave of youth-led activism among Gen Z Adivasi students in Maharashtra has highlighted systemic administrative delays and infrastructure deficits in government-run tribal welfare institutions. In Manjari village on the outskirts of Pune, first-generation college-goers residing at the local Scheduled Tribe (ST) Boys Hostel staged prolonged demonstrations and hunger strikes against the state government, demanding immediate upgrades to educational amenities and hostel living conditions that have remained unaddressed for years.

The protesting tribal students—many pursuing higher education across various degree colleges in Pune—pointed out that basic residential rights, nutritious food, clean water, and functional study infrastructure continue to be neglected in state-administered ST hostels.

Beyond basic living standards, the student movement has renewed demands for the strict enforcement of Supreme Court-mandated tribal recruitment quotas and employment assurances dating back nearly nine years. Representatives of the protest stressed that despite repeated representations to the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) and the Tribal Welfare Ministry, structural neglect persists across rural and suburban hostel facilities.

The demonstrations reflect a broader shift in socio-political awareness among young Adivasis in Maharashtra, who are utilizing collective mobilization to hold state authorities accountable under constitutional protections guaranteed under Articles 15, 16, and 46 of the Constitution of India.

Although preliminary talks between student delegates and officials from the Tribal Development Department took place, protesters maintained that demonstrations would continue until concrete administrative orders and time-bound commitments are issued to rectify hostel infrastructure and resolve pending public employment backlogs for tribal youth.