CHENNAI: The total number of working days in this academic year has gone up to 220 from 210 in the last year. The academic calendar released by the Tamil Nadu School Education Department has also declared as many as 19 Saturdays as working days.

For the new academic year 2024-25, the schools in Tamil Nadu reopened on Monday. On day one of the new year, students were distributed essential items such as notebooks and textbooks.

Taking part at an event in Chennai to welcome the students to schools for the new academic year and distribute these items to them, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi urged them to be responsible citizens and also give the same importance to sports and other extracurricular activities as they would for academics.

Among the students enrolled in government and aided schools in the State, 70.67 lakh students will get textbooks, 60.75 lakh students will get notebooks, and 8.22 lakh students will get atlas, said School Education Department students.

As part of welfare schemes that the government extends to students of State-run schools, the government has been giving 14 essential items to students every academic year. These include textbooks, notebooks, uniforms, footwear, school bag, crayons, colour pencils, geometry box, atlas, woollen sweaters, raincoats, socks and shoes and bus pass. Besides these, the government has also been distributing laptops and bicycles.