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As a severe cold wave engulfs parts of northern and eastern India, state officials have ordered widespread school closures to safeguard pupils from plummeting temperatures, dense fog, and other hazards. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand are among the states that have declared closures or extended breaks through late December and early January.
Citing safety concerns in the face of early morning fog and extreme cold, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered all schools up to Class 12, including CBSE, ICSE, and UP Board institutions, to stay closed until January 1, 2026.
With instructions to guarantee vulnerable people receive sufficient assistance during thesevere weather, officials are mobilised to enforce the closures and monitor situations.
“In view of the cold wave/dense fog in Lucknow district and the weather department's forecast, all government/primary and upper primary schools/aided schools/ schools affiliated to all boards/ Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls' Schools and government/non-government aided schools from Pre-Primary to Class 12 will remain closed from December 29, 2025 to January 1, 2026,” the District Magistrate, Lucknow, wrote in a letter to the Uttar Pradesh government.
Alongside the closures, the UP government is supporting winter assistance initiatives. Authorities have set up more than 1,200 night shelters with beds, lighting, and hot water to help homeless people impacted by subfreezing temperatures.
The government additionally handed out hundreds of thousands of blankets. Bonfires and other warming stations are being maintained in public spaces to mitigate exposure to cold.
Here is a list of states where schools are closed till December 31:
Jharkhand
In addition to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand has also declared that schools in places like Ranchi will be closed till December 31 due to the ongoing drop in temperature. This applies to government and private institutions from kindergarten through Class 12.
The district education office issued an order stating that “all government, non-government, and private schools within Ranchi district are instructed to suspend classes for KG to class 12 from December 27 to December 31, 2025, under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Samhita.”
Bihar
Several district governments in Bihar have changed school timetables or prolonged closures. For instance, government and private schools in Patna up to Class 8 will be closed until December 30. Higher classes may have modified school hours to minimise exposure to the cold. The districts of Nalanda, Saharsa, and Bhojpur have all received similar directives.
Una, Himachal Pradesh
Jatin Lal, the chairman of the Una District Disaster Management Authority and deputy commissioner, has issued an order changing the district's school schedule.
According to the regulation, Anganwadi centres will run from 10 am to 3:00 pm from December 29 to January 31, while other government and private educational institutions, from pre-primary to senior secondary, would operate between 10 am and 3:30 pm.
Jammu and Kashmir
Extreme cold has caused prolonged closures in Jammu and Kashmir. Classes from 1 to 8 were expected to be closed from December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, while classes from 9 to 12 were projected to be closed from about December 11, 2025, to February 22, 2026.
Punjab
Winter break in Punjab began on December 22 and will reportedly last until early January (about January 10, 2026).
Citing safety concerns in the face of early morning fog and extreme cold, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered all schools up to Class 12, including CBSE, ICSE, and UP Board institutions, to stay closed until January 1, 2026.
With instructions to guarantee vulnerable people receive sufficient assistance during thesevere weather, officials are mobilised to enforce the closures and monitor situations.
“In view of the cold wave/dense fog in Lucknow district and the weather department's forecast, all government/primary and upper primary schools/aided schools/ schools affiliated to all boards/ Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls' Schools and government/non-government aided schools from Pre-Primary to Class 12 will remain closed from December 29, 2025 to January 1, 2026,” the District Magistrate, Lucknow, wrote in a letter to the Uttar Pradesh government.
Order
regarding schools. pic.twitter.com/ftCW4E1UeC
— DM Lucknow (@AdminLKO) December 28, 2025
Alongside the closures, the UP government is supporting winter assistance initiatives. Authorities have set up more than 1,200 night shelters with beds, lighting, and hot water to help homeless people impacted by subfreezing temperatures.
The government additionally handed out hundreds of thousands of blankets. Bonfires and other warming stations are being maintained in public spaces to mitigate exposure to cold.
Here is a list of states where schools are closed till December 31:
Jharkhand
In addition to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand has also declared that schools in places like Ranchi will be closed till December 31 due to the ongoing drop in temperature. This applies to government and private institutions from kindergarten through Class 12.
The district education office issued an order stating that “all government, non-government, and private schools within Ranchi district are instructed to suspend classes for KG to class 12 from December 27 to December 31, 2025, under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Samhita.”
Bihar
Several district governments in Bihar have changed school timetables or prolonged closures. For instance, government and private schools in Patna up to Class 8 will be closed until December 30. Higher classes may have modified school hours to minimise exposure to the cold. The districts of Nalanda, Saharsa, and Bhojpur have all received similar directives.
Una, Himachal Pradesh
Jatin Lal, the chairman of the Una District Disaster Management Authority and deputy commissioner, has issued an order changing the district's school schedule.
According to the regulation, Anganwadi centres will run from 10 am to 3:00 pm from December 29 to January 31, while other government and private educational institutions, from pre-primary to senior secondary, would operate between 10 am and 3:30 pm.
Jammu and Kashmir
Extreme cold has caused prolonged closures in Jammu and Kashmir. Classes from 1 to 8 were expected to be closed from December 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, while classes from 9 to 12 were projected to be closed from about December 11, 2025, to February 22, 2026.
Punjab
Winter break in Punjab began on December 22 and will reportedly last until early January (about January 10, 2026).
