As Bihar battles a severe cold wave, the Patna district administration has directed all government and private schools up to Class VIII to remain closed until January 11, stated a report by Business Standard. The decision follows reports from the weather office that many regions in the state are experiencing temperatures of 10°C or lower.
District Magistrate Chandra Shekhar Singh stated that for students in Classes IX and above, schools will resume between 9 am and 3.30 pm, and activities related to Board exams will continue as scheduled. Earlier, on January 1, Singh ordered that academic activities in schools must not take place before 9 am or after 4 pm.
Bihar weather update
The coldest temperature recorded in Bihar on Sunday (January 5) was 6.7°C in Motihari, followed by Saran (6.9°C), Dehri (7°C), Samastipur (9.2°C), Vaishali (9.8°C), and Patna (10°C). Cold weather conditions were also reported in Saharsa, Banka, Valmikinagar, Darbhanga, and Kishanganj, where temperatures hovered between 10.1°C and 10.5°C.
Dense fog enveloped several parts of Bihar during the day, and the Met Office has forecast severe dense fog across multiple regions over the next two to three days. Poor visibility caused two flight cancellations and delays for six others at Patna airport on Sunday, with minimum visibility dropping to 150 meters.
Schools closed in other states owing to the cold wave
- Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh: Schools up to Class VIII will remain closed until January 11, with higher education institutions starting at 9 am. Strict action has been taken against schools violating this order.
- Jharkhand: All government and private schools from kindergarten to Class VIII will be closed from January 7 to January 13 to safeguard children from the cold.
- Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: Schools up to Class VIII are shut from January 4 to January 11, per District Magistrate Suryapal Gangwar. Online classes will continue for Classes IX to XII, and higher education institutions will operate between 10 am and 3 pm where online options are unavailable.
- Chandigarh: In-person classes for students up to Class VIII are suspended, while online classes will begin at 9 am.
These closures aim to ensure the safety and well-being of students amidst extreme weather conditions.
