Kolkata: Several Kolkata schools have switched to online classes during the ongoing Puja vacation to make up for lost teaching days and ensure timely completion of the Higher Secondary (HS) Semester IV syllabus ahead of the examinations starting February 12, 2026.
The Puja vacation, originally scheduled to start on September 26, was advanced to September 24 after heavy rain disrupted normal life on September 23. The extended break, covering Durga Puja, Kali Puja and Bhai Phonta, will continue till October 24.
This leaves schools with barely three-and-a-half months to finish Semester IV syllabus. Teachers fear the period will be further shortened by holidays and internal exams, making syllabus completion difficult.
To make up for lost time, institutions such as Park Institution in north Kolkata and Narain Dass Bangur Memorial Multipurpose School have started online sessions for Class XII students. “We have begun online classes from October 10 to cover portions of the syllabus before offline sessions resume,” said Sanjay Ghosh, a computer teacher at Park Institution.
Narain Dass Bangur’s headmaster, Sanjay Barua, said the school had no choice but to switch to the virtual mode. “Online teaching is useful for theoretical lessons, but practical work cannot be done in this format,” he said.
Though some guardians have urged the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) to reduce the syllabus, the Council has made no such announcement. Sources said schools have been informally encouraged to hold online classes during the break.
However, not all institutions find the virtual mode effective. Teachers point out that many students struggle with unstable internet connections and a lack of suitable devices. “We plan to hold extra classes after the holidays and students can reach out to teachers directly if they face difficulties,” said Partha Pratim Baidya, headmaster of Jadavpur Vidyapith.
The schedule is further tightened by the Madhyamik Selection Test (November 3–13) and periodic assessments for classes V–IX through December.