Summer break is cut short in schools

January’s biting cold just shrunk Delhi schools’ summer break. Vacation plans will need to be reworked as all the government and government-aided schools will now break for summer from May 11, and not May 1, as is the practice.

January’s biting cold just shrunk Delhi schools’ summer break. Vacation plans will need to be reworked as all the government and government-aided schools will now break for summer from May 11, and not May 1, as is the practice.

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Winter holidays, according to a circular issued by the directorate of education, will be longer — from December 26 to January 15. The break usually ended on January 2.

“During the past few years we have seen that winter has become much harsher in January. This year we had to extend vacations till the second week of January, so we changed the annual calendar,” Delhi education minister Arvinder Singh said.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment Board, and unaided recognised schools, too, have been advised to follow the calendar. “Most private schools close in mid-May so it won’t affect them much,” said Ameeta M Wattal, secretary, National Progressive School Conference and principal, Springdales School, Pusa Road. It was for the schools to decide on the winter vacations, she said.

Other schools such as Tagore International School, and Air Force Bal Bharati are also planning the switch. “We, too, had planned to start summer vacations late and have a longer winter break,” said Maneka Sharma, principal, Shri Ram School, Vasant Vihar.