Copyright thehindu
To compensate for the days lost owing to Dasara holidays which were extended for 10 days as teachers of government and aided schools were busy with the Social and Educational Survey, the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) has asked schools to conduct an extra hour of classes every day. The DSEL circular has given separate instructions to primary and high schools. Primary schools have been asked to conduct extra classes till February 5, 2026 and high schools till January 24, 2026. However, it is left to the discretion of the schools to decide whether to take extra classes in the morning or in the evening. As mentioned in the circular, the schools have lost a total of eight full days and two half days (Saturdays). As a result, high schools have fallen short of 66 periods and primary schools of 74. This year, the DSEL had announced the Dasara Holidays between September 22 and October 7. But as the State government extended the Social and Educational Survey till October 18 and schools re-opened only after Deepavali, they lost 10 working days. Following instructions from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Principal Secretary of the department had directed the Commissioner for School Education to issue a circular mandating extra classes. Meanwhile, the department has also asked schools to conduct special classes for low performing students from January to March, 2026. Teachers seek more leave Meanwhile, teachers have urged the State government to grant them additional leave. “As per the Government Order, we conducted the Social and Educational Survey for additional days without any leave. Now, the DSEL has instructed to conduct an extra one hour classes every day. However, teachers who lost their Dasara holidays for the survey are in a situation where they have to work without any rest. The government should grant additional leave to all the teachers who participated in the survey,” said a teacher of a government school in Bengaluru.
