Academic activities across Kolkata have come to a grinding halt as several schools and colleges have been requisitioned to house Central Paramilitary Forces ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections. The presence of armed personnel within educational premises has triggered massive outrage among the student community. On Wednesday, thousands of students took to the streets of Kolkata, demanding the immediate withdrawal of forces and the scrapping of the current semester due to incomplete syllabi.

The protesters, marching from College Street to Esplanade, claimed that the deployment has made it impossible to conduct regular classes or access laboratories. “Our future is at stake. How can we appear for exams when our classrooms are occupied by soldiers and our teachers cannot teach?” questioned a protesting student leader. The agitation turned violent near the city center as police attempted to disperse the crowd, leading to a heated scuffle.

The deadlock has left the state education department in a fix. While the deployment is mandatory for election security, the academic loss is undeniable. Students have threatened a total boycott of upcoming examinations if their demands are not met. The protest caused massive traffic snarls across North and Central Kolkata, leaving commuters stranded for hours. As of now, the state government has not provided any alternative arrangement for the affected students, further fueling the fire of rebellion on campuses.