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Bhubaneswar, Dec. 23: The higher education department has issued a warning to colleges against granting more than one day as holiday on account of Christmas.
In a letter to the principals of government, non-government aided, autonomous, block grant and aided colleges, the regional director of higher education, K.P. Mahapatra, has said that he has received reports of “colleges closing down on account of Christmas holidays, which is not only irregular but also an infringement of government decision”.
“I want to make it clear that there is no provision for Xmas holidays for any day other than Christmas, that is December 25. The department has, since long, scrapped the idea of Xmas break. The college authorities are directed to adhere to this rule in letter and spirit, failing which appropriate action would be initiated against them,” Mahapatra said.
Director of higher education Bimal Prasad Nanda said the uniform calendar of holidays introduced by the government from this academic session has restricted vacation towards the end of the year.
“The colleges are required to adhere to the calendar, which provides for only 72 days of holidays, except Sundays. Some colleges have been reported to be declaring holidays till January 1, while there is no such provision now. This was withdrawn more than 10 years ago. If we get any report of violation, then the principal of the college concerned would face the music,” Nanda said.
Department sources said that the authorities of a college in Cuttack run by Christian missionaries have requested the government to extend the number of holidays to celebrate their biggest festival.
Although the single calendar system stated that exams in junior colleges would be held from February 22, the schedule has been changed in view of the 2012 Panchayat polls. Council of higher secondary education officials said the Plus Two exams would, in all probability, be held in the first week of March and results would be published within 45 to 60 days from the date of commencement of exams.
At the same time, the board of secondary education has also postponed the matriculation exams to March because of the upcoming elections.
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