Heatwave prompts states to revise school timings, extend vacations

Several states have revised school schedules and extended vacations as persistent heatwave conditions and high temperatures continue to affect students across the country.

In Maharashtra, authorities in Latur and Nanded districts have directed schools to operate only during morning hours to reduce students' exposure to extreme heat and humidity.

The move follows concerns over weather-related health issues after the new academic session began on June 15.

Officials in Latur issued the order under provisions of the Disaster Management Act as a precautionary measure.

The district has also been facing drinking water shortages in several rural areas, while teachers' associations had sought changes in school timings due to the prevailing weather conditions.

In neighboring Nanded, District Collector Rahul Kardile directed all schools and junior colleges to function from 8 am to 12:30 pm until further orders.

Several other states have taken similar measures in recent weeks. In Odisha, summer vacation was extended until June 18.

School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond had directed both government and private schools to remain closed until the revised reopening date. The summer break had originally begun on April 27.

Uttar Pradesh has also prolonged its summer vacation through June 24, with regular classes scheduled to resume on June 25. The state government has introduced a fixed annual summer break period from May 20 to June 24 beginning this year.

According to officials, the decision was approved by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, with student safety, health, and uninterrupted access to education cited as key considerations amid rising temperatures.

Authorities said the move would also help standardize the academic calendar across the state and reduce the need for repeated district-level extensions during heatwave periods.

Meanwhile, the Bihar Education Department has implemented revised school hours across government primary, middle, and higher secondary schools until June 30, 2026.

Under the new schedule, schools will operate from 6:30 am to 12:30 pm. Classes will be held during the cooler morning hours, while primary and middle school students will receive their mid-day meals between 9 am and 9:40 am.

The department said the revised timings were introduced in response to intense summer conditions and increasing temperatures across the state. Officials stated that the measure is intended to protect students' health and well-being and has instructed all schools to comply with the schedule without deviation.

Apart from Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, states including Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab have also modified school schedules or adopted heat-related measures for educational institutions as temperatures remain elevated in many parts of the country.