In a significant move, the Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled 15 public holidays marking the birth or death anniversary of eminent personalities in schools and colleges. Now, the students would be taught about them on those days. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
“The cabinet has cancelled 15 public holidays marking the anniversaries of great personalities. Students will now be taught on these days about these figures through various programmes,” minister Shrikant Sharma said after the cabinet meeting.
Recently, on the occasion of BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, Adityanath had expressed the concern over the shrinking academic session owing to increased holidays.
“There should be no holidays in schools on birth anniversaries of great personalities. Instead, a special two- hour programme should be held to teach students about them. The 220-day academic session has been reduced to only 120 days due to such holidays and if this tradition continues, there will be no day left for teaching in schools,” he said.
There are 42 public holidays in UP, of which at least 17 are linked to the birth anniversaries of celebrated personalities.
The last Samajwadi Party government declared holidays on the birth anniversaries of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar (April 17), Maharishi Kashyap and Maharshi Nishadraj Jayanti (April 5), Hazrat Ajmeri Garib Nawaj Urs (April 26), Maharana Pratap Jayanti (May 9) besides on the death anniversary of Ambedkar (December 6).
Now, the revised list of holidays will soon be made available.
