Summer vacation in state-run schools extended; set to reopen on June 2 now

Kolkata: While the summer vacation in state-run schools across Bengal has been extended till May 31, with all such institutions now scheduled to reopen on Monday, June 2, according to a notification issued by the state School Education department on Thursday, several private schools in the state declared summer vacations from Friday.

This comes after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the educational institutions to advance the holidays by a week amid the India-Pakistan military conflict.

The extension applies to all government-run Primary, Upper Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary schools. Schools in the hill subdivisions of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, which were initially exempted from the preponed vacation, will now reopen on June 2, aligning with the rest of the state.

Initially, the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) 2025 holiday list had scheduled summer break for primary schools from May 2 to 12, while schools under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) were to remain closed from May 12 to 23. However, amid soaring temperatures, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an early start to the vacation from April 30.

Although the vacation began early, the duration had not been clearly outlined, leading to uncertainty among parents and teachers. There were concerns about possible academic loss, especially for higher secondary students now following a semester system. The first semester exams of Class XII (third semester overall) are scheduled for September, making the extended break a concern for timely syllabus completion.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister had recently urged private English-medium schools to consider advancing their summer vacations to May 9, citing the extreme heat and rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Several schools complied. At Shri Shikshayatan School, the junior section began its summer holiday on May 9. “They had their last day on Thursday. The senior section will come in on Saturday for a short exam before starting their break. School will reopen on June 12 as scheduled,” the principal reportedly said.

Delhi Public School, Ruby Park; Ruby Park Public School, Taratala and Delhi Public School Durgapur will follow their previously fixed summer schedule, from May 9 to June 9.

Some institutions are opting for a hybrid approach. La Martiniere for Boys and La Martiniere for Girls have decided to conduct online classes for a week before beginning their scheduled vacation.

“We will conduct online classes starting Monday for one week, after which our summer break will begin as scheduled,” a school official reportedly said.