By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: In response to significant backlash over the previous year’s academic calendar, which saw the cancellation of holidays for several Hindu festivals, the Bihar government has taken steps to address the issue for the upcoming year. The then Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, KK Pathak, had released the academic calendar for 2024, which omitted holidays for Ram Navami, Shivratri, Janmashtami, Rakshabandhan, Makar Sankranti, Teej, Vishwakarma Puja, and Jiutiya. In contrast, three days each were allocated for Eid and Bakrid.
This decision sparked widespread criticism and political controversy. To prevent a repeat of such unrest, the new Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, Dr. S. Siddharth, has established a committee to draft the academic calendar for 2025.
Dr. Siddharth, known for making significant decisions, has initiated several changes, including a major teacher transfer policy. The newly formed committee, tasked with reviewing and recommending holiday schedules, will include the Secretary of the Education Department as chairman, along with the Education Project Director, Primary Education Director, and Secondary Education Director as members.
The committee is expected to submit the revised holiday calendar within 15 days, considering the major festivals of Bihar and women’s festivals. The final approval will be given by the Education Minister of Bihar before the publication of the official calendar.
