J&K’s New School Timings Draw Flak from Parents, Teachers
SUHAIL KHAN
SRINAGAR, July 7: In a decision that has triggered widespread concern across the Kashmir Division and Winter Zones of Jammu Division, the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department has issued a fresh circular revising school timings from July 8. The government has directed all schools within municipal limits to function from 7:30 AM to 11:30 AM, and those outside municipal areas from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon.
This directive, as per Circular No. 06-JK (Edu) of 2025, also mandates two online classes after a one-hour break, with teachers required to remain available till 2:00 PM in urban areas and 2:30 PM in rural zones. While the intention behind the resumption of physical classes might be welcomed in normal circumstances, the timing and manner of its implementation are being severely criticised as arbitrary and insensitive, especially amid the ongoing scorching summer heatwave.
“Cruel to Primary Kids”: Parents and Experts React
Parents and education experts have slammed the government’s move as illogical and poorly thought out. They argue that forcing young children, especially those in lower and primary grades, to attend school early in the morning in such harsh weather conditions is not just impractical, but potentially hazardous.
“Most homes in Kashmir are struggling to get any sleep at night due to the intense heat and absence of cooling systems. How can a 6-year-old wake up at 6 AM and walk or travel to school in such conditions?” questioned Shaista Bano, a concerned parent from Anantnag. “Instead of relieving the stress on children, the government is worsening it.”
What makes the situation even more alarming is the severe lack of basic infrastructure in the majority of government schools across Jammu and Kashmir. While private institutions may still manage to cope with power backups and cooling arrangements, most government-run schools don’t even have functional electricity connections, let alone fans or coolers.
In many rural and semi-urban areas, classrooms turn into furnaces by mid-morning, with no ventilation or drinking water facilities to offer students even basic relief. “We are expected to teach 30-40 children packed in a tin-roofed classroom with no fans and no electricity. The temperature inside feels ten degrees higher,” said a government school teacher from Budgam.
If this is the condition for middle and high schoolers, imagine the plight of tiny children in grades 1 to 5, who can barely sit through a class without crying or falling ill in such conditions. The lack of readiness and basic amenities completely defeats the purpose of opening schools early, and instead exposes young children to health risks like dehydration, headaches, and even heat strokes.
Meanwhile, Many teachers have voiced their frustration, especially regarding the mandatory continuation of online classes after physical school hours.
“How can students be expected to concentrate in physical classes in the early hours, then come home, barely rest, and log in again for more sessions?” asked a school teacher from Baramulla on the condition of anonymity. “This schedule is neither mentally nor physically sustainable for students or staff.”
What particularly stands out as contradictory is the timing logic itself. If the goal is to prevent children from the peak heat, then why start schools at 7:30 AM when students are already sleep-deprived and the morning temperatures are no longer cool?
The rational approach, many argue, would have been to keep schools shut for at least a month, in light of the severe summer spell, and continue with online classes — a method already familiar to both students and staff post-COVID. If closure was not an option due to syllabus pressure or other administrative reasons, then the school hours should have been fixed from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM with sufficient breaks, instead of rushing students through an ill-structured two-phase schooling system.
What remains baffling is the lack of adaptability shown by the administration despite being aware of the extreme weather conditions gripping the Valley. Even prominent political figures and social activists have questioned the wisdom behind the move.
“This is a glaring example of bureaucracy working in silos, without assessing ground realities,” said a former education official. “The policy neither helps children learn better nor protects their wellbeing.”
The government must reconsider its decision urgently. If children’s welfare is indeed a priority, the administration must either announce a temporary closure of schools with effective online teaching or, at the very least, revise the timings to a more child-friendly 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM single-session model.
Education policies cannot be drafted in isolation from climate, infrastructure, and human sensitivity. It’s high time officials realise that students are not data points—they’re young lives that deserve care, comfort, and above all, common sense.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
