Statements from the education department state that there are two primary reasons for this year’s extended December breaks:
Winter/Cold Weather: Cold weather makes travel and school attendance challenging in northern and mountainous regions (particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and neighbouring areas), leading to lengthier winter holidays.
Festive Holidays: Many states strive to match their vacation calendars to provide students with continuous relaxation and the opportunity to celebrate with their families, as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s celebrations come in succession.
Major Holiday Dates in December for All Schools
December 24 (Christmas Eve): Many schools will remain closed on Christmas Eve. It is a restricted holiday.
December 25 (Christmas Day): A nationwide holiday for schools. In most areas, schools start their winter break around Christmas.
December 31 (New Year’s Eve): Several states may treat this as a holiday; schools often remain shut on this day. In many states, schools are closed on January 1 for the New Year’s holiday.
The winter break, which often starts around Christmas and ends around the New Year, gives students a comparatively extended holiday to round off the school year.
State-Wise December Holidays
The following state-specific or school-specific closures and winter vacations are scheduled for December 2025:
Uttar Pradesh (UP): Government and private schools will remain closed from December 20 to December 31 for a 12-day winter vacation. Schools are expected to reopen on January 1, 2026.
PM Shri Schools: These schools follow a slightly modified schedule; the winter vacation lasts 10 days from December 23, 2025, to January 1, 2026.
Jammu and Kashmir (winter zone): Schools in the winter zone have declared longer holidays due to extreme weather. The break for pre-primary (‘Balvatika’) students began on November 26 and will last until February 28, 2026. Break starts on December 1 for Classes 1 to 8, and on December 11 for Classes 9 to 12.
While the dates may vary by district or school, several states are expected to continue their tradition of combining Christmas holidays with a winter break.
