From Chhath To Diwali: List Of Holidays Reduced In Bihar Schools

Patna: A notification was issued by Bihar government's education department on Wednesday (August 30) which reduced the number of holidays in school on festivals. The notice by state education department said that it was doing so to bring uniformity in the number of working days in schools across the districts in the state. The school cancelled leaves of Raksha Bandhan, Teej, Jiutia in government schools and reduced the number of non-working days owing to holidays in government school. The number of festive holidays was brought down to 11 from 23 between September and December, as per the notice.

Govt reduces holidays for Diwali, Chhath, Durga Puja in new calendar for schools 

The notice mentions that Chehlum will be a one day off schools on September 6. Anant Chaturdashi and Prophet Mohammed's birthday on September 28 will be a one-day holiday for schools. Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (a national holiday) will see schools closed on October 2. Durga Pooja will see schools closed for three days from October 22-24. Diwali will only be a one-day holiday for schools on November 12 and Chitragupta Puja and Bhaiya Dooj festival will give schools a holiday on November 15. Chhath, one of the biggest festivals in Bihar, will be two-days holiday in schools (November 19-20). Christmas will see schools closed on December 25.

Read the full notice and festival days list below.

Reason behind notice mentioned buy education department

The notice said that the idea behind the notification is to open primary schools for up to 200 days and middle schools for 220 days in one year as per the The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The notification said that due to several activities like elections, examination, law and order situation, festivals, flood, natural calamity and others, the study of students get affected. Therefore, now, the education department is allowing only 10 days leave.

15 days leave cancelled

15 days leaves have been cancelled due to the new notification, including Raksha Bhandhan, Krishna Janmastami on September 7, Hartalika Teej on September 18 and 19, Jiutia on October 6, Durga Puja leaves were reduced to three days from October 22 to 24, which was earlier six days from October 19 to 24.