Rajasthan winter holidays from December 25; schools cannot force students to dress as Santa Claus

The Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan Ajmer (RBSE) has announced winter holidays for all schools from December 25. All government and private schools in the state will be closed for winter vacation from December 25 to January 5, the state board said.

The education department in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district issued an order on December 22 warning private schools against compelling students to dress like Santa Claus during Christmas day celebrations.

The additional district education officer Ashok Wadhwa said that action will be taken if any complaint in this regard is filed. Wadhwa said schools must not put unnecessary pressure on students or parents to participate in such activities. "Action will be taken under rules if any school is found forcing students," the order stated, according to PTI.

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All activities related to Christmas can be organised with the consent of parents and children. However, if students are compelled or parents are pressurised, the school management concerned will be held responsible, the official said.

The order was issued after the education department received representation from the Bharat-Tibet Sahyog Manch alleging that some schools have been compelling students to dress up like Santa Clause in recent years, causing resentment among parents. The official added that Sriganganagar is predominantly a Hindu-Sikh majority area and no particular tradition should be imposed.

December 25 is also observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ to commemorate the sacrifice of the Sahibzada, and schools should maintain sensitivity and balance in their programmes without any coercion.