CBSE School Holidays: Maharashtra Makes Government-Approved Vacations Mandatory for All Schools
CBSE School Holidays: Maharashtra Makes Government-Approved Vacations Mandatory for All Schools
Decision brings uniformity in summer and festival breaks; Delhi introduces affidavits to curb arbitrary holidays
CBSE schools across Maharashtra will now be required to strictly follow government-approved academic holidays, ending years of uneven vacation practices across districts. The decision makes it mandatory for all CBSE-affiliated schools aided, unaided, minority and municipal to adhere to the holiday calendar approved by district education officers, for the academic year.
The move comes after repeated complaints that several CBSE schools were either shortening vacations or refusing to grant holidays declared by local administrations, leading to disparities between schools operating in the same region. Education officials said the decision will ensure uniformity during key breaks such as summer, Diwali and Christmas, while also protecting students’ academic continuity.
According to officials, the academic holiday schedule approved for each district will now be binding on all CBSE schools operating within that jurisdiction. This includes summer vacations as well as festival holidays planned based on regional and climatic conditions. For the 2026–27 academic year, the government has already finalised 10 days each for Diwali and Christmas holidays.
The decision followed sustained representation by the CBSE School Staff Welfare Association (SISWA), which raised concerns that some school managements were ignoring state-approved calendars and imposing their own schedules. SISWA had also flagged the issue with central authorities, stating that teachers and non-teaching staff were being denied legitimate breaks despite official government orders.
After reviewing the complaints, district education officers held meetings with stakeholders and decided that government-approved holidays would be compulsory for CBSE schools. Officials clarified that while schools retain autonomy over internal planning, they cannot override state-declared academic holidays.
Education officers said the step is aimed at bringing fairness for students and staff, particularly in districts where CBSE schools continued classes even when all other boards observed holidays. Parents had also raised concerns about confusion caused by mismatched vacation schedules, especially for families with children studying in different boards.
Meanwhile, a similar push for discipline in academic calendars is being seen in Delhi, though through a different mechanism. The Directorate of Education has mandated that all government, aided and private schools submit affidavits committing to a fixed number of teaching days before the academic year begins. Schools will also have to finalise holiday and working-day calendars in advance, with accountability fixed for any deviation.
Education officials in both states say the broader objective is the same — to prevent arbitrary holidays, ensure syllabus completion, and bring transparency to school operations. In Maharashtra, authorities believe the mandatory holiday rule will reduce conflicts between schools and parents while creating a predictable academic rhythm for students.
With the new rules in place, CBSE schools in Maharashtra will now have to align fully with government-approved academic calendars, marking a significant shift toward uniformity in school holidays across the state.
