NCPCR serves notice to Bihar govt for scrapping school holidays on major Hindu festivals.

Scrapping school holidays on major Hindu festivals to increase numbers of holidays in Muslim festivals amounts discrimination: NCPCR serves notice to Bihar govt. 

The notice was served on behalf of NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanungo where it has said that the commission has received a complaint regarding a notification issued by the Education department of Bihar to stop the holidays on leave on Hartalika Teej, Janmastami, Mahashivratri, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Rakshabandhan, Teej and Jitiya. NCPCR’s notice emphasizes to take immediate action in the matter to ensure all children get equal opportunity of celebrating their religious festivals. 

Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | Nov 30, 2023::The National Commission of Protection for Child Rights (NCPCR) has served notice to Bihar government seeking its response within one week as to why holidays in government schools on major Hindu festivals have been proposed to be scrapped from next year.

The notice was served on behalf of NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanungo where it has said that the commission has received a complaint regarding a notification issued by the Education department of Bihar to stop the holidays on leave on Hartalika Teej, Janmastami, Mahashivratri, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Rakshabandhan, Teej and Jitiya. NCPCR’s notice emphasizes to take immediate action in the matter to ensure all children get equal opportunity of celebrating their religious festivals. 

‘Such discrimination in setting the numbers of holidays may affect the children in their psychological level with a sense of victimization,’ says a member of NCPCR while interacting with HENB.

As per the fresh notification for year 2024, the education department has cancelled the leave on Hartalika Teej, Janmastami, Mahashivratri, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Rakhi (Rakshabandhan), Teej and Jitiya.

The education department’s notification scrapped holidays on many Hindu festivals and enhanced the same of Muslim festivals.

The education department has mandated 220 days of study for the students. However, the leave of Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Juha and Muharram have been enhanced from two days to three days. Even the summer vacation has been enhanced from 20 days to 30 days for the year 2024.

The commission has asked the chief secretary to look into the matter and while in accordance with the RTE Act 2009, take immediate action in the matter to ensure all children get equal opportunity of celebrating their religious festivals.

In the meanwhile, RJD spokesperson Shakti Yadav, whose party leader Chandra Shekhar currently holds the education portfolio, said, “It is the Right to Education Act (RTE) that allows not more than 60 holidays in a calendar year. So, naturally, some adjustments will have to be made.”

“Nobody has been deprived of holidays on Dussehra, Diwali, Holi and Chhath. The department should reconsider declaring a holiday on Raksha Bandhan, though we attach little importance to the BJP’s rants,” he added.

Earlier, the Bihar unit of BJP and many central ministers from Bihar condemned the Nitish Kumar Govt for its blatant Muslim appeasement even in the education field.

But, a formal reply from the Chief Secretary of Bihar on behalf of state govt is awaited with a genuine clarification.

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__Inputs from IANS/ Pic Courtesy: Visual Stock.