Bihar: Education Department cuts school festive holidays, BJP reacts
The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has reportedly revised the holiday calendar for government schools, reducing festive holidays from 23 to 11 days between September to December. It claimed the decision aims to comply with the Right to Education Act 2009, which mandates schools to have at least 220 working days for upper primary classes. However, the opposition Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed the decision "hurts Hindu sentiments" and accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of indulging in appeasement politics.
Opposition BJP criticizes revised schedule
Reacting to the development, Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary warned that the people of Bihar would respond to this decision in the upcoming elections. He asked, "Can't Hindus even celebrate our religious festivals in Bihar now?" The BSEB's new holiday schedule includes single-day holidays for Diwali and Chitragupta Puja and a two-day break for Chhath Puja. Furthermore, Durga Puja holidays have been reduced from six to three days, and a nine-day break from Diwali to Chhath has been significantly shortened.
Revised holiday calendar shared on X
Teachers in Kishanganj protest against holiday cuts
Meanwhile, scores of teachers in Kishanganj held a protest against the decision, arguing that holidays were not canceled in other districts of Bihar. They demanded a written directive explaining the cancellation of the Raksha Bandhan holiday. They have also submitted a memorandum to the district education officer in this regard. "Tomorrow it is possible that Sharia will be implemented in Bihar and there will be a ban on celebrating Hindu festivals," Union minister Giriraj Singh posted on X.
Watch: Video of teachers protest in Kishanganj
Education Department aims for uniformity
The Bihar Education Department said that under the Right to Education Act, primary classes should have 200 working days and upper primary/middle 220 working days per academic year. However, factors such as elections, examinations, festivals, and unforeseen natural events often disrupt regular study schedules, leading to an imbalance across districts, it said. This adjustment reportedly aims to establish uniformity in school operations for the remainder of 2023.
