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As several Indian states grapple with a severe heatwave, pushing temperatures beyond 44°C in several regions, school timings are being revised to safeguard students, with some states also announcing early summer vacations or temporary closures.
Urgent measures are being implemented to minimise students’ exposure to peak daytime heat.
"Climate is creating havoc in the country. The weather has become unpredictable and is regularly changing. The call of summer vacations should be taken pragmatically," Brian Seymour, Principal of GD Somani Memorial School, Mumbai, told India Today.
The assumption that extreme heat in the summer begins from mid-May has now changed — there has been an increase in heatwaves, starting as early as April.
"The weather has become unpredictable in recent times. Mumbai is witnessing severe heat in March itself, and this is not a usual phenomenon," he added.
This has pushed the authorities to change their summer vacation schedules and announce holidays earlier.
Delhi-NCR revised school timings
In the Delhi- National Capital Region (NCR), some schools have shifted their working hours to accommodate the extreme heat, while others are prioritizing in-school safety protocols.
In the Noida and Greater Noida area, the District Magistrate has issued a mandatory revision for all schools — Government, Private, CBSE, ICSE, and others.
From Monday, 27 April, Noida schools were asked to revise their timings to 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
In Delhi, a blanket state-wide timing change has not been finalised yet, but Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered the immediate implementation of the Heat Wave Action Plan 2026.
The key measures of this plan include:
- “Water Bell” system: Schools must ring a bell every 45 to 60 minutes to ensure mandatory hydration breaks for students.
- Activity Restrictions: All outdoor assemblies, sports, and physical activities are strictly suspended between 11 AM and 4 PM.
- Medical Support: Schools are authorised to provide ORS solutions to students before they depart for the day to prevent dehydration during commutes.
- Summer Vacation: According to media reports, summer vacation in Delhi schools is expected to begin on 11 May for most government and aided schools.
Revised school timings in other states:
Uttar Pradesh: 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Prayagraj (UP): 7:30 am – 12:00 pm
Jharkhand: 7:00 am – 11:30 am
Bihar (Patna): Till 11:30 am
Madhya Pradesh: 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Odisha: 6:30 am – 10:30 am
Maharashtra: 7:00 am – 11:15 am
Rajasthan: 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
However, in states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, teachers are still required to remain on campus until early afternoon hours.
Early summer vacation in these states:
Administrations in several other states have issued emergency orders to move students out of the heat entirely:
| Chhattisgarh | Summer break has been advanced, running from April 20 to June 15. |
| West Bengal | Summer vacations commenced on April 22, covering all regions except hill areas like Darjeeling. |
| Odisha | Official school holidays are scheduled to begin on April 27. |
| Tripura | Authorities have ordered a temporary closure of all schools from April 24 to May 1. |
| Jharkhand | Local authorities have been empowered to advise temporary shutdowns in districts severely affected by the heat. |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun, Pantnagar, Mukteshwar, and New Tehri administrations have issued orders to shut all educational institutions from Classes 1 to 12 |
Why are these measures necessary?
According to the latest IMD forecast, maximum temperatures in Delhi-NCR are projected to stay between 43-45 degrees Celsius for the next 48 hours.
The heat is compounded by “markedly above normal” departures in regions like Punjab, Haryana, and West Uttar Pradesh, where night temperatures are also failing to cool significantly.
The weather agency has said a slight relief is likely over the following 3–4 days, with temperatures expected to drop by 3–5°C.
Authorities have warned that students are particularly susceptible to heat exhaustion and dehydration during peak hours (12 PM – 3 PM). In response, schools are instructed to appoint Nodal Officers to monitor heat safety compliance and submit reports to the Directorate of Education by May 2.
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