The Directorate of School Education and the Directorate of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu have directed all schools in the state to refrain from conducting special classes during the Christmas holidays. These holidays, which started on Tuesday, will last until January 4. Schools, including government, government-aided, and private institutions, have been reminded to strictly observe the vacation period following the half-yearly exams.
The circular mandates that schools will remain shut until January 4 and will resume normal operations on January 5. School authorities have been explicitly instructed not to organize special classes, coaching sessions, or any academic events for students during this break. The aim is to ensure that students have ample time to rest post-exams and are not under unnecessary academic stress during the holiday season.
Officials emphasized that the directive is to prevent undue pressure on students and warned that any non-compliance would result in action against the school management. In addition to the ban on special classes, the department has issued guidelines advising parents to involve children in non-academic pursuits during the holidays, such as music, dance, reading, and outdoor activities under parental supervision.
Encouraging a holistic approach to student development, officials highlighted the importance of engaging in extracurricular and leisure activities. The academic calendar had initially scheduled the half-yearly exams for the last week of December, but adjustments were made due to the upcoming Assembly elections, impacting the academic timeline. Consequently, the third term of the 2025-26 academic year is expected to start earlier than planned.
