Districts in Uttar Pradesh have ordered temporary school closures as the annual Kanwar Yatra picks up pace. The pilgrimage, held during the Hindu month of Shravan, draws huge crowds of Kanwariyas who walk for days to collect holy water for Shiva temples.
The surge in devotees has forced officials to manage heavy traffic, reroute vehicles and keep students out of busy roads. In many towns, the usual rush of buses and autos mixes with slow-moving processions, making routine school commutes risky.
UP School Holiday: Meerut and Muzaffarnagar take the lead
Meerut’s District Magistrate Dr V K Singh confirmed that all schools, from primary to degree colleges, will stay shut from 16 July to 23 July 2025. “The increased movement of Kanwariyas during this period necessitated measures to ensure student safety and manage traffic effectively,” he said.
Muzaffarnagar will follow the same dates. District Magistrate Umesh Mishra has warned that “strict action” will be taken against any school that stays open against orders. This covers every type of school — government, private, CBSE, ICSE, technical and DIET institutions.
Other districts adjust schedules
Varanasi, a key stop for pilgrims heading to Kashi Vishwanath, has given schools a holiday on the first Monday of Shravan, 14 July. District Inspector of Schools Bholenath Pratap Singh said all missed classes will be held on a Sunday instead.
Bareilly’s District Magistrate Avinash Singh has declared holidays on all four Mondays in Shravan. Schools near Delhi Road and Badaun Road must keep staff present but students at home. Exams will carry on as planned.
In Badaun, primary schools will stay closed every Saturday and Monday this month. The move is to keep young students off busy routes and free the roads for pilgrims.
Why schools in UP are shutting down
The Kanwar Yatra has a wide footprint in north India, mainly Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana and Delhi. Haridwar, Varanasi and Deoghar see the biggest crowds. Each year, police reroute traffic, set up barricades and deploy extra security to keep the peace.
Local officials say holidays help prevent accidents, cut down jams and make space for large gatherings. Teachers and parents have been asked to adjust lesson plans so that learning does not suffer.
UP School Holiday: Haryana shuts schools after Principal’s murder
While UP schools close for a festival, Haryana faces a different problem. In Hisar, all 10,760 private schools will shut on 16 July to protest the killing of Kartar Memorial Senior Secondary School Principal Jagbir Singh Pannu.
Satyawan Kundu, president of Haryana Private Schools Association, said, “We demand a special law for teachers’ security.” The killing in Bas Badshahpur village has shocked the teaching community, who want tighter safety rules for school staff.
In Nuh district, schools shut on 13 and 14 July for the Jalabhishek Yatra, which aligns with the Kanwar Yatra. Fearing unrest, the local administration has suspended internet services until 9 PM on 14 July.
Students and parents now wait to see how classes will be rescheduled once things settle down. Some districts plan to hold catch-up classes on Sundays. For now, all eyes are on the roads, the Kanwariyas and the security teams keeping watch.
The surge in devotees has forced officials to manage heavy traffic, reroute vehicles and keep students out of busy roads. In many towns, the usual rush of buses and autos mixes with slow-moving processions, making routine school commutes risky.
UP School Holiday: Meerut and Muzaffarnagar take the lead
Meerut’s District Magistrate Dr V K Singh confirmed that all schools, from primary to degree colleges, will stay shut from 16 July to 23 July 2025. “The increased movement of Kanwariyas during this period necessitated measures to ensure student safety and manage traffic effectively,” he said.
Muzaffarnagar will follow the same dates. District Magistrate Umesh Mishra has warned that “strict action” will be taken against any school that stays open against orders. This covers every type of school — government, private, CBSE, ICSE, technical and DIET institutions.
Other districts adjust schedules
Varanasi, a key stop for pilgrims heading to Kashi Vishwanath, has given schools a holiday on the first Monday of Shravan, 14 July. District Inspector of Schools Bholenath Pratap Singh said all missed classes will be held on a Sunday instead.
Bareilly’s District Magistrate Avinash Singh has declared holidays on all four Mondays in Shravan. Schools near Delhi Road and Badaun Road must keep staff present but students at home. Exams will carry on as planned.
In Badaun, primary schools will stay closed every Saturday and Monday this month. The move is to keep young students off busy routes and free the roads for pilgrims.
Why schools in UP are shutting down
The Kanwar Yatra has a wide footprint in north India, mainly Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana and Delhi. Haridwar, Varanasi and Deoghar see the biggest crowds. Each year, police reroute traffic, set up barricades and deploy extra security to keep the peace.
Local officials say holidays help prevent accidents, cut down jams and make space for large gatherings. Teachers and parents have been asked to adjust lesson plans so that learning does not suffer.
UP School Holiday: Haryana shuts schools after Principal’s murder
While UP schools close for a festival, Haryana faces a different problem. In Hisar, all 10,760 private schools will shut on 16 July to protest the killing of Kartar Memorial Senior Secondary School Principal Jagbir Singh Pannu.
Satyawan Kundu, president of Haryana Private Schools Association, said, “We demand a special law for teachers’ security.” The killing in Bas Badshahpur village has shocked the teaching community, who want tighter safety rules for school staff.
In Nuh district, schools shut on 13 and 14 July for the Jalabhishek Yatra, which aligns with the Kanwar Yatra. Fearing unrest, the local administration has suspended internet services until 9 PM on 14 July.
Students and parents now wait to see how classes will be rescheduled once things settle down. Some districts plan to hold catch-up classes on Sundays. For now, all eyes are on the roads, the Kanwariyas and the security teams keeping watch.
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