29 July 2024: The Rajasthan Education Department has introduced significant changes to the school calendar for the 2024-25 academic year, including the observance of Savarkar Jayanti on May 28 and a celebration on August 5 to mark the abrogation of Article 370, titled ‘Swarn Mukut Mastak Diwas.’, as per a report by the Times of India.
These additions will be implemented in both government and private schools across the state. Notably, the new calendar also introduces ‘No Bag Day’ on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, designed to foster student engagement through various activities.
Further changes include on-the-job training for students in Class 11 and 12 during the winter holidays, aiming to combine practical experience with academic learning. According to the calendar released by the Director of Education, Ashish Modi, schools will operate for 213 days, with 152 holidays due to festivals and other reasons, including Sundays. Diwali holidays are scheduled from October 27 to November 7, and winter holidays from December 25 to January 5.
The new academic session for 2025-26 will commence on July 1, 2025. These initiatives reflect the state’s efforts to integrate historical and contemporary events into the educational framework while promoting innovative practices for enhanced student learning and participation.
However, these changes also highlight a growing inclination towards forming a Hindutva-centric country, where the focus on Hindu historical figures and events is emphasized. Conversely, Muslim festivals, their history, and contributions appear to be increasingly marginalized from academic curricula, signaling a concerning trend of religious partiality within the educational system.
