Heatwave forces Noida schools to cut hours: New timings effective immediately; Check revised timings for other states

With heatwave conditions intensifying across Delhi-NCR, the Gautam Buddha Nagar district administration has revised school timings in Noida and Greater Noida with immediate effect, limiting hours to protect students from dangerous afternoon temperatures.

New timings, effective now

All council-run, government-aided, and private schools in Gautam Buddha Nagar will now operate from 7:30 am to 12:30 pm only. The order covers schools affiliated with all major education boards, CBSE, ICSE, IB, and the UP Board, leaving no institution exempt.

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Authorities said the decision was taken keeping in mind the health, safety, and well-being of students amid rising temperatures and ongoing heatwave conditions across Noida, Greater Noida, and the wider Delhi-NCR region. Shorter school hours are intended to reduce children's exposure to the extreme heat that builds up through the afternoon.

In force until further notice

The revised schedule will remain in effect until the district administration issues fresh orders, with any change tied directly to weather conditions and the intensity of the heatwave. The District Magistrate has directed all schools, government, aided, and private, to strictly comply with the new timings and ensure immediate implementation without exception.

For parents and children already navigating a brutal summer, the shorter school day offers some relief, even if the heat itself shows no signs of letting up.

Revised school timings across states

Amid rising heat, states have staggered school hours with slight variations across regions:

• Odisha: 6:30 am to 10:30 am
• Maharashtra: 7:00 am to 11:15 am
• Jharkhand: 7:00 am to 11:30 am
• Patna (Bihar): Classes permitted only till 11:30 am
• Rajasthan: 7:30 am to 12:30 pm
• Madhya Pradesh: 7:30 am to 12:30 pm
• Uttar Pradesh: 7:30 am to 12:30 pm

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In Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, teachers are still required to remain on campus until early afternoon hours despite shorter student schedules.

Early summer vacations and closures

Authorities in several states have also moved to advance vacations or temporarily shut schools:

• West Bengal: Summer break began on April 22, except in hill districts such as Darjeeling
• Tripura: All schools closed from April 24 to May 1 as a precaution
• Chhattisgarh: Vacation period advanced, now running from April 20 to June 15
• Odisha: Official holidays scheduled to begin from April 27
• Uttarakhand: Schools shut across Dehradun, Pantnagar, Mukteshwar, and New Tehri for Classes 1 to 12
• Jharkhand: District administrations empowered to order closures in severely heat-affected areas