The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday announced winter vacation for schools in the Kashmir Valley, citing a cold wave and sub-zero night temperatures.
According to an order issued by Ram Niwas Sharma, Secretary of the School Education Department, pre-primary (Balvatika) classes will observe winter vacation from November 26 to February 28, 2026. Classes 1 to 8 will be on break from December 1 to February 28, while classes 9 to 12 will observe vacation from December 11 to February 22.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Other areas, including Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Kokernag, and Qazigund, also reported below-freezing night temperatures.
Cold winds from the snow-clad mountains have made morning travel difficult, particularly for schoolchildren. Most government schools lack adequate heating, and slippery roads add to the hazards.
The harshest 40 days of winter, locally known as “Chillai Kalan,” run from December 21 to January 30, when water bodies freeze and temperatures can drop to minus 5 to minus 7 degrees Celsius.
–IANS