All government, government-aided and private schools in Odisha will remain closed for summer vacation from April 27, the state government said in its latest update, according to ANI.The government clarified that while regular classes will stop, previously scheduled examinations, census-related work and other official duties will continue as usual.
Decision comes after heatwave review
The decision comes a day after the state government indicated it was considering advancing the summer vacation due to rising temperatures. According to The Times of India, revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari had said that a final call would be taken soon after reviewing the heatwave situation.He had said that several districts were recording temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, with no immediate relief expected. A meeting was also held with the Special Relief Commissioner and officials from the School and Mass Education Department and the Higher Education Department to assess the situation.
Usual schedule pushed due to rising temperatures
School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond had earlier said that the usual summer vacation schedule runs from May 6 to June 17. However, he added that the dates could be advanced considering the heat conditions.There were also discussions about closing anganwadi centres if the situation worsened. In such a case, children would be provided take-home rations instead.
District-level measures already in place
At the district level, some measures had already been taken. In Khurda, schools and anganwadi centres were asked to function from 6.30 am to 9.30 am to avoid peak heat hours. In Dhenkanal, all government and private educational institutions, including anganwadis, were closed until further orders due to the heatwave.
Similar steps seen in other states
Similar steps are being seen in other states as well. In Rajasthan, district administrations have revised school timings due to heatwave alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In Kota, schools are now operating from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm, while in Jaipur, timings have been changed to morning hours for younger students to reduce exposure to extreme heat.Officials in Rajasthan have said that temperatures have crossed 40 degrees Celsius in several districts and are expected to rise further in the coming days. Authorities have warned schools to follow the revised timings strictly, with action possible under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in case of violations.The early closure of schools in Odisha mirrors a similar concern, as authorities try to limit students’ exposure to harsh weather conditions.
