Ram temple event: Delhi govt schools to be closed in first half of Jan 22

NEW DELHI: Delhi government schools will remain closed in the first half of Monday in view of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, according to an order.

However, schools having classes in the evening will start at 2:30 pm on January 22 and will finish according to their usual timings but not later than 5.30 pm, the order issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE) on Sunday said.

This arrangement is only for January 22, it said. ''In accordance with the order issued by the Services Department of GNCTD declaring half-day closure (up to 2.30 pm) of all Delhi government establishments on January 22 to enable employees to participate in the celebrations of Ram Lalla 'Pran Pratishtha' being held at Ayodhya, all government schools running in general and morning shifts are ordered to remain closed on Monday,'' the DoE said.

The ''Pran Prathishta'' (consecration ceremony) of the idol of Ram Lalla will start at 12:20 pm and is expected to end by 1 pm. ITL Public School principal Sudha Acharya said the DoE should have included private schools in its order as they are also ''governed'' by it. ''Private schools have been left confused with this order. There is chaos because we don't know what to do now. We were waiting for the DoE order. It is the DoE that announces vacations for private schools too and we are governed by it. This is very disappointing,'' Acharya told PTI.