CBSE schools may lose Christmas holiday

PANAJI: CBSE schools across the country are expected to observe December 25 as Good Governance Day by the board, as it happens to be the birthday of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and also of Madan Mohan Malviya. It would mean that students are expected to report to school for an essay competition and other activities planned by the board for the day, even though it is Christmas Day, celebrated with much fervour across Goa.Authorities at CBSE schools in the state said that they are not yet aware of any such plans.
CBSE is yet to issue the circular asking schools to observe Good Governance Day, but plans by the board were revealed by a circular issued by CBSE-affiliated Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti this week. The Samiti’s circular states plans of holding an essay competition and a one-act play for CBSE schools and of quiz competitions and screening of documentaries and films for Navodaya Vidyalayas.
While top CBSE officials were unavailable to confirm if the plans are mandatory for all CBSE schools, board-affiliated schools in Goa said that they are unable to comment as they have not received any intimation as yet on the matter.
The Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Goa themselves are unlikely to hold the celebrations.
“As this is a residential school, students have already made plans to leave for their Christmas holidays which begin on December 24. So we will be unable to hold any programmes on December 25,” S Kannan, principal of JNV Canacona said.
Deepak Khaitan of Sunshine Worldwide School at Old Goa, affiliated to CBSE, said, “We have not got any such circular as yet.”