Feedback Sought for Himachal Schools’ New Vacation Plan – Act Fast!

The Government of Himachal Pradesh has initiated a tentative vacation schedule for government schools across the state. Before finalizing the schedule, feedback and opinions from stakeholders, including parents, students, teachers, and district officials, are being solicited. Below are the key highlights and instructions related to the proposed vacation schedule.

Key Instructions for Vacation Schedule

1. Categories of Schools:
   • Schools will be divided into two categories: Summer Closing and Winter Closing.
   • The Director of Higher/Elementary Education will notify these categories.
2. Role of Deputy Commissioners (DCs):
   • DCs will decide and notify vacation periods based on proposals from the Deputy Director (Higher) of each district.
   • Vacations must not exceed the indicated days, except in cases of inclement weather.
3. Flexibility in Vacation Declaration:
   • DCs have the discretion to split vacations into parts, especially for monsoon or summer breaks. For example, a 7-day break can be divided into smaller periods based on climatic conditions.
   • Holidays can be declared for specific education blocks or schools within a district based on varying weather conditions.
4. Exceptional Circumstances:
   • In the absence of adverse weather conditions, the indicated number of holidays must still be declared for schools by the DCs.
5. Collaborative Decisions:
   • Deputy Directors of Higher Education will consult their Elementary Education counterparts before proposing vacations to the DCs.

Tentative Vacation Schedule

Summer Closing Schools (52 Days Total)

1. Summer/Monsoon Break (40 Days):
   • 15–20 days summer break to be decided by DC.
   • 20–25 days monsoon break to be decided by DC.
   • Flexibility: Adjustments to the duration based on prevailing weather conditions, ensuring total does not exceed 40 days.
2. Winter Break (7 Days):
   • To be notified by DC based on weather conditions.
3. Festival Break (5 Days):
   • Diwali: 2 days before and 3 days after (except Kullu).
   • Kullu: 5 days after Dussehra.

Winter Closing Schools (52 Days Total)

1. Monsoon/Climatic Exigency Break (7 Days):
   • To be notified by DC based on weather conditions.
2. Festival Break (3 Days):
   • 2 days before and 1 day after Diwali.
3. Winter Break (42 Days):
   • Scheduled from January 1 to February 11.

Call for Feedback

The Education Department seeks input from various stakeholders to refine the proposed schedule. District officials are instructed to widely circulate this schedule and gather feedback. Stakeholders have 15 days to submit their opinions, with the deadline for all feedback being January 15, 2025.

This feedback will help ensure that the vacation schedule meets the requirements of students, parents, and educators while considering the unique climatic conditions of Himachal Pradesh.