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Schools Closed: UP, Chandigarh, TN & more states where schools are shut

Here is the list of all the schools are that are closed due to cold wave or any festivals.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jan 17, 2026 09:55 AM IST

Schools in Noida closed till Jan 17 (Express photo by Ashish Kale/ representative image)

Schools up to Class 8 in Gautam Buddh Nagar will be closed till Saturday due to dense fog and extreme cold. The order, issued by Basic Education Officer Rahul Panwar, was made in compliance with the district magistrate’s directions, considering the current weather conditions. Earlier, the district education department had extended the winter break for schools until January 15 due to the cold wave conditions.

“All schools from Nursery to Class 8 affiliated with CBSE, ICSE, IB, UP Board and other boards operating in Gautam Buddh Nagar district shall remain closed on January 16 and 17,” the order said, adding that it must be strictly followed. The Basic Education Officer warned that action would be taken against any school found violating the order and reopening during the closure period.

Here is the list of all the schools that are closed:

Punjab

The Punjab government has revised school timings across the state in view of prevailing winter conditions. As per an official notice issued by the state education authorities, all government, aided, and private schools in Punjab will function with reduced hours from January 16 to January 21, 2026.

According to the notice, primary schools will operate from 10 am to 3 pm, while upper primary, secondary and senior secondary schools will function from 10 am to 3.30 pm during the revised schedule. The order also directs school heads to strictly adhere to the modified timings and ensure that students are not required to report to school before the stipulated hours.

Chandigarh

Due to the ongoing cold and foggy weather, the District Education Office of Chandigarh has announced an extension of the revised school timings and winter vacation. The order applies to all government, government-aided, and recognised private schools across the Union Territory, and will remain in effect until January 17, 2026. The schools will likely reopen on January 19.

Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj

Schools in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district will remain closed until January 20 for students up to Class 8, with the administration extending the ongoing holiday period due to the Magh Mela and the expected surge in pilgrim footfall. The closure applies to all government and private schools and has been ordered to ensure student safety amid anticipated traffic congestion and movement restrictions during the major bathing days of Makar Sankranti and Mauni Amavasya.

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Jammu and Kashmir

In the winter zone of the Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar, as well as the Jammu region, the government has announced the winter vacation schedule for schools amid plunging temperatures. Schools up to Class 8 will reopen on March 1, 2026, while higher classes will resume a week earlier on February 22, 2026, as temperatures across Kashmir continue to fall several degrees below freezing.

Telangana

The Telangana School Education Department has extended Sankranti holidays for schools statewide until January 16, 2026, following an order issued on January 5. The move comes after the General Administration Department declared January 16 (Kanuma) an optional holiday. Consequently, schools that were scheduled to reopen on January 16 will now resume classes on January 17, 2026.

Tamil Nadu

To mark the occasion of Pongal, a traditional harvest festival in the southern state of India, the state had announced that schools will be closed till January 17. The school will reopen on January 17.