Soaring mercury alert: Minister rules out delay in starting of schools

Soaring temperatures in some parts of Karnataka will not have any impact on the academic schedule of schools and pre-university colleges, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh said on Thursday.

Some members of the Legislative Council have asked the Department of Public Instruction to consider postponing the start of the academic year in view of the rising mercury in northern
Karnataka.

“There is no such proposal before the government,” Nagesh clarified at a press conference, saying,”Classes for 2022-23 will start as per schedule on May 16. There will be no change in that.”

“The government has not received any requests to delay the start of the academic year. The meteorological department has not made any forecast about rise in temperatures. A decision to revise the academic calendar may be taken by those taluks where there is any such forecast,” he said.

The department has cut short the summer holidays by 15 days to make up for the loss in learning levels in the last two years due to the pandemic.