- Rajasthan extends school summer vacation to June 28 due to severe heatwave
- Total summer break increased from 35 to 42 days for student relief
- School principals can now approve two days of leave instead of one
Amid the severe heatwave in Rajasthan, the state government has extended the summer vacation for schools, bringing relief to students, parents, and teachers.
According to a notification issued by the Bikaner Education Department on Tuesday, schools will now remain closed until June 28. Earlier, the summer vacation was scheduled from May 17 to June 20, but it has now been extended by seven more days. As a result, the total vacation period has increased from 35 days to 42 days.
The government has also increased the leave approval power of school principals. They can now grant two days of leave at their discretion instead of one.
Earlier, Education Minister Madan Dilawar had planned to shorten the summer break to increase the number of teaching days to 214 in the academic year and improve educational quality. Schools were also expected to reopen before June 21 so that students and teachers could participate in International Yoga Day activities. However, teacher organizations had opposed the move.
At the same time, the weather department has predicted dust storms and light rainfall in some areas during the afternoons, which may provide temporary relief from the intense heat.
The continuing heatwave has now forced the government to reconsider. Several districts in Rajasthan are experiencing extremely high temperatures. Jaisalmer recorded 46.4°C, Barmer 46.0°C, Kota 45.7°C, and Churu 45.3°C.
The Jaipur Meteorological Department has forecast heatwave conditions in many parts of western and northeastern Rajasthan for the next three to four days, with temperatures expected to remain between 44°C and 45°C.