School Winter Vacation: Amidst biting cold and dense fog, children are enjoying extended winter vacations in these states..

School Winter Vacation 2026 Extended: The harsh winter conditions are at their peak in several states of North India. The icy winds from the mountains and the dense fog in the plains have disrupted daily life. Considering this difficult situation and the falling temperatures, the governments of Punjab and Jharkhand have issued orders to extend school holidays. According to the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, all government and private schools in the state will now remain closed until January 13, 2026.  Schools were previously scheduled to reopen on January 8.

The cold wave is also having a significant impact in Jharkhand. The Jharkhand School Education and Literacy Department has announced that all government, private, and aided schools in the state will remain closed until January 8, 2026. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of even more severe cold and dense fog in the coming days, which could adversely affect the health of children. This step has been taken by the administration to protect young children from pneumonia and other cold-related illnesses.

Schools Closed: Winter Vacation 2026
The winter holidays, which began in December 2025, are continuing into January 2026. Winter vacations have been underway for the past few weeks in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Punjab: Holidays extended for the third time. When will schools reopen?

The impact of the cold wave in Punjab is so severe that the state government has had to extend school holidays three times so far. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains shared information on the social media platform 'X', stating that, keeping in mind the safety of children and staff, all schools from pre-nursery to class 12 in the state will remain closed until January 13.  There may also be a holiday in many areas on January 14 on the occasion of Makar Sankranti/Maghi. Therefore, regular classes are expected to resume smoothly only after that. 

Jharkhand: Order Applicable to All Board Schools
In Jharkhand, fog and falling temperatures have disrupted daily life. Morning temperatures in cities like Ranchi and Jamshedpur have been recorded below 5 degrees Celsius. In view of this, the government has ordered that academic activities for classes up to 12th grade will remain suspended until January 8th in all schools across the state (CBSE, ICSE, and State Board). However, the department has clarified that teachers and non-teaching staff will have to be present at school for administrative work.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) Warning
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), ‘severe cold wave’ conditions will prevail in Northwest India for the next 4 to 5 days. Due to dense fog, visibility may be less than 50 meters, making it quite risky for children to go to school in the morning. ‘Yellow’ and ‘Orange’ alerts have been issued in Bathinda and Amritsar in Punjab, and some parts of Jharkhand.

Instructions for Parents and Students
Online Classes: Many private schools have opted for online classes for older students (9th to 12th grade) to prevent loss of studies.

Examinations: In schools where board or pre-board examinations were scheduled, these may be conducted at the discretion of the school administration. Students are advised to stay in touch with their respective schools.

Precautionary Measures: The administration has appealed to parents to dress their children in warm clothes to protect them from the cold and to avoid going out in the morning.
In other states like Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, district magistrates are also issuing orders to close schools or change timings according to the local weather conditions.

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