As the new year 2026 begins, the harsh cold has started showing its colors in North India. A drop in temperature is being recorded from the mountains to the plains. This month has brought great relief for school students and teachers amid the shivering cold and dense fog. The month of January is not only known for its cold wave, but it also brings the gift of festivals and holidays. While on one hand there is an atmosphere of New Year celebrations, on the other hand there will be holidays in schools on big occasions like Makar Sankranti, Pongal and Republic Day. This month is no less than a big gift for children, because amidst the pressure of studies, they are going to get ample opportunities to enjoy the winter by snuggling under the quilt and spending time with the family.
Due to cold wave and dense fog, winter holidays extended in many states, schools will remain closed in Haryana till January 15.
Winter vacations, which started from the end of December in the hilly and plain states of North India, such as Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, are going to continue till the first or second week of January. In this sequence, keeping in mind the health of the students, the Haryana government has already made it clear that there will be winter holidays in all the schools of the state from January 1 to January 15, 2026. Apart from this, in view of the increasing fog and melting in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, orders to extend the holidays can be issued by the local District Administration (DM). In such a situation, it is expected that children will get relief for a few more days by waking up early in the morning in the bitter cold to go to school.
A wonderful long weekend is being formed on Republic Day, students and parents will get three consecutive days off.
This time the mathematics of holidays in January is in favor of the students. Apart from festivals, this year 26th January i.e. Republic Day is falling on Monday, which is creating a wonderful coincidence of ‘long weekend’ in government offices and schools. Schools will remain closed for three consecutive days due to Monday being a national holiday, immediately after the weekly holiday of Saturday (January 24) and Sunday (January 25). This time will prove to be a great opportunity for students and their families to plan a short trip, go on a picnic or just relax at home. This is also a good opportunity for working parents to spend quality time with their children.
Dates may change in different states depending on regional festivals, Pongal will be celebrated in South while Netaji Jayanti will be celebrated in Bengal.
Parents need to note that the list of holidays may vary from state to state and the local festivals there. For example, in West Bengal, January 23 will be a holiday on the occasion of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti, while schools in other states may remain open on this day. Similarly, in South Indian states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, there will be continuous school holiday from January 14 to 17 due to the festival of Pongal. The enthusiasm of Makar Sankranti will be seen in North and West India. Therefore, students and parents are advised to keep an eye on their school’s official calendar or orders issued by the local administration for accurate information about holidays.
