Classes have been suspended in government and government-aided schools for a “heatwave” at a time the Met office has issued an alert for increased rainfall activity.

Education minister Bratya Basu posted on X on Thursday morning: “Heatwave conditions prevail in some districts... So, it has been decided that teaching programmes will be suspended at all government and government-aided primary, upper-primary, secondary and higher-secondary educational institutions in the state (except in hill areas) on June 13 and 14.”

Later in the day, a communication from the secretary of the school education department and addressed to the presidents of the state secondary and primary education boards read: “Considering the prevailing heat wave situation, as reported from some districts, the competent authority has decided to keep teaching-learning activities suspended in all the Govt. Aided/Sponsored Primary, Upper Primary, Secondary, Higher Secondary, Educational Institutions in the state (except hill areas) on 13.06.2025 & 14.06.2025.”

The announcement left many puzzled. The conditions in Calcutta remained overcast for most of Thursday. Several areas got light rain. The districts were also wet. The Met office issued a special bulletin warning a rise in rainfall.

“Latest meteorological analysis indicates that strengthening of southerly wind flow and moisture incursion from Bay of Bengal likely and its influence heavy to very heavy rainfall activity is very likely to occur over some districts of north Bengal from June 13 to 15,” the bulletin said.

Several districts in south Bengal are likely to get drenched from June 12 to 17. Some are likely to get heavy rain on June 16 and 17, it said.

Somenath Dutta, the head of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Alipore, said: “The IMD has not issued any heatwave warning or advised the closure of schools for heatwave.”

A heatwave is declared when the mercury breaches the 40-degree mark or the maximum is five notches above normal.