Yogi Adityanath govt cancels 15 public holidays for schools, college students

On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled 15 public holidays marking the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities. On these days, students in schools and colleges would now be taught about them.

On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled 15 public holidays marking the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities. On these days, students in schools and colleges would now be taught about them and their contribution to the nation. The decision was taken by the state Cabinet in a meeting chaired by chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma said, “The cabinet has cancelled 15 public holidays marking the anniversaries of great personalities. Students will now be taught on these days about these figures through various programmes.” He was briefing media persons after the cabinet meeting.

On the occasion of Dr BR Ambedkar’s 126th birth anniversary, Adityanath had expressed concern in his address over the shrinking academic session due to increasing holidays.

“There should be no holidays in schools on birth anniversaries of great personalities. Instead, a special two-hour programme should be held to teach students about them. The 220-day academic session has been reduced to only 120 days due to such holidays and if this tradition continues, there will be no day left for teaching in schools,” he had said.

In Uttar Pradesh, there are 42 public holidays of which at least 17 are related to the birth anniversaries of eminent personalities.

The previous Samajwadi Party government had declared holidays on the birth anniversaries of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar (17 April), Maharishi Kashyap and Maharshi Nishadraj Jayanti (5 April), Hazrat Ajmeri Garib Nawaj Urs (26 April), Maharana Pratap Jayanti (9 May) besides on the death anniversary of Ambedkar (6 December).

Is it expected that the revised list of holidays will soon be made available