Schools shut, winter breaks extended as severe cold grips parts of India

A prolonged cold wave has prompted widespread changes to school schedules across several states, with authorities opting for closures, extended winter breaks, and revised class timings to safeguard students as temperatures plunge and fog thickens.

In Jharkhand, schools in Ranchi and Jamshedpur remained shut following an India Meteorological Department alert warning of severe cold conditions.

Ranchi was placed under a yellow alert as authorities suspended classes from kindergarten to Class 12 in all government, aided, and private schools.

Officials clarified that scheduled examinations may continue and that schools can decide whether to hold classes for students of Class 10 and Class 12.

Uttar Pradesh has also seen widespread closures. Several districts have ordered schools up to Class 8 to shut due to cold wave and dense fog conditions, with some closures extended until Jan 14.

In the National Capital Region, including Noida and Ghaziabad, district administrations temporarily closed schools citing safety concerns.

In Lucknow, holidays for schools up to Class 8 have been announced until Jan 8, 2026, covering government, aided, and private institutions, including Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.

In Bihar, multiple districts have suspended morning classes as temperatures continue to drop sharply. District authorities have asked schools to strictly adhere to local advisories before resuming normal operations.

In Delhi, the Directorate of Education confirmed that winter vacations for the 2025–26 academic year will be observed from Jan 1 to Jan 15, 2026, as per the school calendar released earlier.

Haryana has announced winter holidays for all government and private schools from Jan 1 to Jan 15, 2025, with classes resuming on Jan 16.

The state’s academic calendar also indicates a similar winter break from Jan 1 to Jan 15, 2026.

Himachal Pradesh has issued a separate winter vacation schedule in line with seasonal conditions.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the government has announced staggered winter vacations across regions. In the Kashmir Valley and winter zones of Jammu, pre-primary classes closed from Nov 26, Classes 1 to 8 from Dec 1, and Classes 9 to 12 from Dec 11.

Schools up to Class 8 will reopen on March 1, 2026, while Classes 9 to 12 will resume on Feb 22, 2026, as temperatures continue to fall well below freezing.

In Jaipur, student holidays have been declared up to Jan 10 for Classes up to 5 and up to Jan 8 for Classes 6 to 8. District officials clarified that teaching and non-teaching staff must continue reporting to schools and that examinations will proceed as scheduled.

The Tripura government has ordered all government, aided, and private schools to remain closed from Jan 6 to Jan 10. IMD officials said temperatures in the state have dropped 4 to 6°C below normal, with fog expected during nighttime and early morning hours.

In Bhopal, authorities chose to revise school timings rather than order closures. The district education officer directed that classes for students from Nursery to Class 8 will begin only after 9:30 am to limit exposure to extreme morning cold.

Education departments across states have advised parents and students to monitor official announcements closely, noting that reopening dates and schedules may change depending on local weather conditions and IMD advisories.

Officials said the measures are temporary and aimed at ensuring student safety as the cold wave continues to affect large parts of the country.