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J’khand: School timings revised as heatwave intensifies
Jharkhand revises school timings due to heatwave; classes for KG-8 from 7 AM to 11:30 AM, and 9-12 until noon, to protect student health.
Amid soaring temperatures and an intensifying heatwave across the state, the Jharkhand government on Monday announced a major revision in school timings for all categories of education institutions. According to an official order issued by the school education and literacy department, the new schedule will come into effect starting Tuesday, (April 21) and will remain in force until further notice.
The directive applies to all government, non-government aided (including minority), and private schools operating within the state. Under the revised schedule, classes from Kindergarten (KG) to Class 8 will be conducted between 7:00 AM and 11:30 AM. For senior students in Classes 9 to 12, the school day will run from 7:00 AM to 12:00 Noon.
While students will be dismissed early to avoid the peak afternoon sun, the department mandated that teachers and non-teaching staff at government schools remain on campus until 1:00 PM to complete administrative and other non-academic duties.
The decision follows a sharp spike in temperatures across several districts, with the mercury crossing the 40-degree mark in at least 10 regions. On Sunday, Daltonganj emerged as the state’s hottest spot at 44 degrees Celsius, while Ranchi recorded a high of 39.3 degrees, nearly six degrees above the seasonal average.
The met department warned that temperatures could rise by another 3 to 5 degrees in the coming days, prompting the health department to issue a yellow alert. Disaster management and health minister Dr Irfan Ansari instructed district administrations to ensure necessary preparedness, including setting up shade and drinking water facilities in public areas.
Earlier, the Jharkhand Parents’ Association (JPA) had raised concerns regarding student health, citing cases of dehydration and sunstroke due to the growing heat. In response, several private schools had already independently moved to morning shifts starting Monday to protect children from the harsh afternoon heat.
