Vacations must be climate sensitive
It is time for shorter, smarter, climate-sensitive and academic-centric—a need based approach in deciding school and college summer and winter vacations. Seasons used to have reasons. But climate change has almost nulled those reasons, making all seasons feel different than what used to be. Now we have hotter winters, insignificant snowfall with few nights reading the sub-zero temperatures on thermometer scale. And we know schools don’t function at night.
Why do we need the government to schedule vacation in the first place and schedule it same for all; same for those living in mountains and for those living in cities? Laughable indeed. Let it be one simple order forever, no scheming, no scheduling. That means no start and end date scheduling, just flexible and simple order. The order should read—all schools, colleges, and universities shall observe one month of summer plus winter vacations in addition to gazetted holidays and Sundays based on local and regional needs, those arise due to varied climatic patterns (from Jammu to Kashmir, from mountains to plains, and from year to year). This means each school, college, and university should be at liberty to schedule vacations locally. If this is not possible, let it be scheduled at tehsil level. Let us do away with —one size fits all. This way we can squeeze overall off period from four months to two months. Let us adopt need-based approach.
Gone are the winters in Kashmir when snowfall used to be a two-month phenomenon, throwing life out of gear for greater periods of time. Three to five feet of snow used to accumulate in cities and villages in plain areas, and it used to melt not before the month of March. Now winters are mild and dry, and snow falls very little, disrupting the people’s movement for a couple of days only. Given this, there is no meaning in wasting the time of students for three months continuously, courtesy of extended winter vacations.
As Kashmir’s education sector gradually aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, it is an opportune moment to revisit one of the most rigid, yet often overlooked, aspects of our academic culture: the school and university vacation calendar. For decades, our institutions have followed a fixed and long vacation structure inherited from colonial systems or influenced by mainland practices—long, sweeping winter holidays that seldom correspond to the dynamic climate or academic needs of our region.
But do we need more than three-month-long breaks anymore, particularly when the purpose they once served has largely faded? Can a new vacation model—shorter, smarter, and more responsive to actual weather conditions—be more productive for both learners and educators? The answer, supported by both global trends and local context, seems to be a resounding yes.
Historically, long summer vacations had agrarian roots. In many parts of the world, including the United States and Germany, children were needed on farms during summer, and thus schools shut down. In Kashmir too, similar logic applied during harvest or heavy snowfall seasons when mobility was nearly impossible. However, with mechanized farming, improved infrastructure, and year-round access to electricity and online learning tools, these reasons have lost much of their relevance.
Today, long vacations serve more as a habit than a necessity, and their downsides are increasingly visible. A three-month break in winter not only causes academic regression—what educationists term the “learning loss”—but also disrupts teaching continuity, puts pressure on parents who must find ways to occupy their children productively, and leads to underutilization of public education infrastructure.
Japan and Germany have six-week summer vacations, supplemented by shorter winter and spring breaks. In China, while schools close for about six weeks in summer, they also align winter breaks with major cultural festivals like the Lunar New Year.
Interestingly, countries like Australia and New Zealand operate on a four-term academic year with shorter, balanced breaks across the calendar. This model provides students regular intervals for rest without compromising the academic rhythm. Finland, renowned for its top-tier education system, also favors shorter vacations interspersed throughout the year while maintaining student wellness.
These examples suggest a valuable lesson: rather than a “one-size-fits-all” break, vacation models should be flexible, balanced, and contextual.
Under the Hybrid Calendar Model, educational institutions in J&K should observe summer vacation for 15 days, declared dynamically based on regional heatwaves or high temperatures (especially in areas like Jammu or lower Kashmir). Similarly winter vacation for 15 days, aligned with actual snowfall forecasts and infrastructural readiness. In addition, 30 days of festive and other gazetted vacations. Therefore, a maximum of two months, need-based vacation period in a year.
This model shall ensure physical and mental rest, and cultural observance while preventing learning loss, sustaining academic momentum, and increasing the adaptability of institutions. The shift to a smarter vacation model would have far-reaching benefits.
- Academic Continuity: Students stay in the learning loop. The loss of retention seen after long breaks—especially in foundational classes—can be significantly reduced.
- Inclusive Education: Long vacations disproportionately affect marginalized students who may not have access to books, libraries, private tuitions or enrichment programs during breaks. Shorter, better-distributed holidays ensure everyone stays connected to learning.
- Optimized Infrastructure Use: Colleges and universities often lie dormant during long breaks, even as maintenance and utilities continue to incur costs. A need-based vacation calendar shall ensure better use of labs, libraries, and lecture halls.
- Mental Health & Wellness: Rather than intense burnout followed by prolonged breaks, periodic shorter breaks allow students and faculty to recover naturally and sustainably.
- Climate Resilience: Adapting breaks to actual weather patterns—be it extreme heat or heavy snow—ensures that holidays serve practical needs, not outdated calendars.
Of course, every reform faces hurdles. Implementing a climate-responsive academic calendar will require coordination between education departments, meteorological services, institutional heads, and above all parents. Yet, none of these challenges are insurmountable. What they demand is political will, policy innovation, and grassroots engagement. Moreover, technology can be a powerful enabler. Forecast-based academic planning, real-time notification systems, and digital learning options for days lost to weather can support the transition.
As the education sector recovers from the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as we rethink our response to the challenges of climate change, demographic diversity, and equitable access, vacation reform must be on the table. Kashmir, with its unique blend of geography, culture, and ambition, can set an example for the rest of India in creating an education system that is resilient, adaptive, and just.
It’s time to move beyond the summer-winter binary. Let’s replace rigidity with responsiveness and climate sensitiveness. Let’s build a simple, smart, and need-based vacation calendar that respects logic, learning, and living.
Dr. Ashraf Zainabi , Teacher and Researcher Based in Gowhar Pora Chadoora J&K, and Advisor at The Nature University, Kashmir.
