Jaipur, Dec 23 : All government and private schools in Rajasthan will remain closed for winter vacation from December 25 to January 5, officials said.

The decision was shared by Education Minister Madan Dilawar through a social media post, emphasising the need to prioritise students' health and safety during the harsh winter season.

"According to the warning issued by the Meteorological Department of Rajasthan, there is a possibility of a significant increase in the intensity of cold wave in the state from December 24. Keeping this situation in mind, the Education Department of the State government has decided according to the Academic Almanac that this year's winter vacation will be from December 25 to January 5," the Minister posted on X.

As per the Shivira Panchang, the winter break generally begins on Christmas Day (December 25) and ends on January 5.

School Director Sitaram Jat said that the Shivira Panchang outlines the holiday schedule for the entire year, and based on that, the winter vacation will be from December 25 to January 5.

This order applies to all government and private schools in the state.

While the District Collector may extend the holiday period in cases of extreme cold, no such conditions exist currently, Jat added.

The state government has issued an official order for the holiday period, which will be observed by both the Rajasthan Board and CBSE Board schools.

In recent years, holiday extensions have been announced after January 5, particularly for students from nursery to class 8.

Last year, the holidays in Jaipur were extended from January 6 to 13, marking the winter vacation from December 25 to January 13.

The Education Department gives the authority to declare holidays in schools to the District Collectors after January 5 so that they can declare them in their respective areas based on winter.

In the last session, the District Collectors themselves had declared holidays in most of the districts.

/IANS