SRINAGAR, OCT 5: The onset of colder mornings across Kashmir has triggered a fresh demand from parents for a revision of school timings, with many seeking a 10 am start for educational institutions in the Valley to provide relief to school-going children during the changing weather.
Parents have urged the School Education Department to reassess the existing morning schedule, arguing that the present 9 am and 9:30 am reporting times require children, particularly those in lower classes, to leave their homes during increasingly chilly morning conditions. They said the issue becomes more significant for students travelling long distances or waiting for school transport in open areas.
The demand comes at a time when the Valley is transitioning deeper into the autumn season, with morning temperatures gradually dropping and a marked difference emerging between early morning and daytime conditions. Parents contend that school timings should take seasonal weather into consideration rather than follow a uniform schedule throughout changing climatic conditions.
The issue has gained added significance following the Directorate of School Education Jammu’s revised schedule from October 1. Schools in the Jammu Division’s Summer Zone are operating from 9 am to 3 pm, while institutions in the Winter Zone have been assigned timings from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.
In Kashmir, the Directorate of School Education had revised the academic schedule with effect from April 1. Schools within Srinagar municipal limits are functioning from 9 am to 3 pm, whereas institutions outside the municipal limits and in other parts of Kashmir Division are observing 9:30 am to 3:30 pm timings.
Parents argue that the existing arrangements could now be reviewed in light of the changing weather, particularly because the circumstances prevailing in April are substantially different from those experienced during October mornings. They have called for a fresh assessment based on temperature patterns, student age, transportation requirements and local conditions.
According to parents, shifting the opening time to 10 am would not necessarily mean reducing instructional time, as schools could correspondingly adjust the closing schedule while maintaining the prescribed academic hours. They said such an arrangement would allow children to travel after the coldest period of the morning without substantially affecting the academic calendar.
The demand has also brought the issue of student welfare and seasonal preparedness into focus. Parents said decisions concerning school timings should balance academic requirements with the comfort, safety and health of children, particularly primary and middle-school students.
They have appealed to the School Education Department and the Directorate of School Education Kashmir to review the present timetable on an urgent basis and consider introducing a 10 am opening, at least during the colder phase of the season.
The final decision, however, rests with the competent authorities, who may assess the demand in light of prevailing weather conditions, academic requirements and administrative feasibility across different parts of the Valley.
