New Delhi: School timings have been changed due to the ongoing heat wave in several Indian states, with temperatures rising above 44 degrees Celsius in various areas. Measures have been put in place to protect students from the scorching heat of the day, with no respite in sight.This situation has had widespread consequences, including reorganization of the academic calendar, early vacations for summer vacation, and even closures. Due to the unusually high temperatures, authorities in many areas have initiated measures to ensure the well-being of their students.Several Indian states have revised school timings.According to recent media reports, most of the affected states have implemented morning shifts to ensure that all activities end before the hottest part of the day.Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan, Ajmer announced that all government and non-government schools will conduct morning classes for pre-primary to class 8 from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm from April 27 till the end of the academic session.
Announcing early summer vacations and closuresSeveral states have either extended summer vacations or ordered temporary closures in response to the heat wave. Chhattisgarh has extended its summer vacation from April 20 – June 15, almost two weeks earlier than usual.Summer vacations will start from April 27 in all the educational institutions of Orissa. Schools in West Bengal will have summer vacation from April 22, except in hilly areas like Darjeeling.Schools in Tripura have been declared closed from April 24 to May 1. Temporary closure of schools has been advised in states like Jharkhand due to extreme heat in some parts of the state.Measures taken to ensure safety in schoolsFor those schools that have not been closed, precautionary measures are being taken to avoid any health risks. A “water bell” system has been introduced in schools in Delhi and Uttarakhand to ensure adequate hydration among students.In states like Delhi and Telangana, outings, assemblies and outdoor classes have been restricted from 11 am to 4 pm.Although schools are open for limited hours, teaching faculty in states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have to stop by 1:30 p.m.
