A severe heatwave across India has prompted several states to alter school timings, announce early summer vacations, and order temporary closures. With temperatures crossing 44°C in many regions, numerous
schools are conducting early morning classes to avoid the peak heat hours.
In several areas, early morning shifts have been introduced so that classes finish before the hottest part of the day. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha have revised their schedules, while Tripura and West Bengal have announced complete shutdowns. Check the state-wise list of summer vacations and revised school timings below.
Summer Vacations Across States
In Odisha, summer vacations in all educational institutions will start on April 27, while schools in Chhattisgarh will remain closed from April 20 to June 15. In West Bengal, schools will shut for summer holidays from April 22, except in hill regions such as Darjeeling. Tripura has ordered schools to close from April 24 to May 1. Schools in states like Jharkhand have also been advised to shut temporarily in areas facing extreme heat. In Dehradun, Uttarakhand, schools have been directed to remain closed on April 27.
Revised School Timings Across States
Several states and regions have revised their school timings as follows:
— Rajasthan has directed all government and non-government schools to hold morning classes for pre-primary to Class 8 from 7:30 am to noon starting today, April 27.
— In Uttar Pradesh, all schools under the Basic Education Council will function from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm, while in Prayagraj (UP), Classes 1 to 8 will run from 7:30 am to noon.
— In Jharkhand, schools will operate from 7 am to 11:30 am for KG to Class 8, and from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm for Classes 9 to 12.
— In Patna, schools will remain open until 11:30 am for pre-primary to Class 5, and until 12:30 pm for Classes 6 to 8.
— In Madhya Pradesh, school timings have been set from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm for both government and private schools.
— In Odisha, morning classes have been introduced during summer from 6:30 am to 10:30 am.
— In Maharashtra, school hours have been shifted to early timings, from 7 am to 11:15 am.
In states where schools remain open, precautionary measures are being taken to minimise health risks. Schools in Delhi and Uttarakhand have introduced a ‘Water Bell’ system to ensure students stay properly hydrated. Classes in open areas have been completely prohibited. The DoE has further instructed schools to halt all outdoor physical activities and give preference to indoor activities during this spell of extreme heat.
