Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday extended the winter vacations for schools in the Valley and winter zone areas of Jammu division by six days in the wake of inclement weather.
The schools will now reopen on March 7, according to an order shared by the School Education department. Education minister Sakina Itoo also shared the order on X.
The winter vacations, announced on December 6 last year, for students up to Class 5 studying in schools in the Valley and winter zone areas of Jammu division were to be observed from December 10 to February 28.
For Classes 5 to 12, the winter vacation was from December 16 to February 28.
The schools were scheduled to reopen on March 1.
However, in the wake of the inclement weather and forecast of more spells of wet weather till March 3, the government on Friday extended the vacations till March 6.
The decision, according to the Education minister Sakina Itoo, was made in a high-level meeting, in light of the prevailing inclement weather in the union territory.
Speaking to ‘Kashmir Images’, the minister said, “The winter vacation has been extended by one week for all government and private schools in J&K and regular classes will resume on Friday, March 7, 2025. This decision was made with the health of children in mind, in view of the inclement weather.”
Later an official notification was also issued by the Department of School Education, announcing that winter breaks for both government and private schools upto the higher secondary level would be extended until March 6.
“The winter vacations declared vide government order No. 521-JK (Edu) of 2024dated 06.12.2024 for all government/private schools upto higher secondary level of Kashmir division and winter zones(s)of Jammu division are hereby extended upto March 6th, 2025. The schools shall reopen on March 7th, 2025 instead of March 1, 2025,” the notification reads.
Meanwhile, in the face of prevailing bad weather conditions, the Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Friday postponed all exams of 10th and 12th classes scheduled on March 1 & 3 in hard zones.
JKBOSE in an order said, “In view of inclement weather, the examinations for classes 10th, 11th and 12th scheduled to be held on 01-03-2025 and 03-03-2025 as per the date sheet already issued, are hereby postponed and rescheduled.”
The board said that the examinations that were earlier scheduled to be held on March 1 for classes 10th and 11th will be held on March 25.
In case of 12th standard, the examinations that were scheduled to be held on March 1 will be held on March 24.
The time and venue of the examinations shall remain unchanged, order stated.
