It's not a national holiday
Rath Yatra is a regional festival, and July 16 doesn't qualify as a nationwide school closure. In states where the festival isn't widely celebrated, schools are expected to run as usual unless a separate local order says otherwise.

Where closures are likely
Odisha, as the epicentre of the celebrations centred in Puri, is the state most likely to see government schools, colleges and other educational institutions shut for the day, with lakhs of devotees expected to take part in the chariot procession. West Bengal and Manipur — where the festival is observed as Kang Chingba, or the Kang Festival — are also likely to see closures on a significant scale, though this will still depend on notifications from respective state governments and district authorities.

A more localised picture in Gujarat and Jharkhand
In Gujarat, particularly Ahmedabad, which hosts one of the country's largest Rath Yatra processions, schools situated along or near the procession route may close for the day or simply run on revised timings — a decision typically made at the local authority level rather than statewide. Jharkhand is also listed among states likely to see holidays in areas where the festival is observed on a larger scale.

Delhi-NCR stays open
Schools in Delhi-NCR have historically not closed for Jagannath Rath Yatra, and this year is expected to follow that same pattern.

What parents should actually do
Because holiday declarations can vary even between districts within the same state, the safest approach is to check directly with your child's school or the local Directorate of Education notification before assuming a closure — don't rely on assumptions based on what a neighbouring district or a previous year did.

Other holidays coming up in July
July 16 also brings the Harela festival in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, subject to state notification. Later in the month, Guru Purnima on July 29 is expected to bring school closures across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, while July 31 is a scheduled holiday in Punjab and Haryana for Shaheed Udham Singh Martyrdom Day. Beyond festival dates, regular weekend closures fall on July 19, 25 (fourth Saturday) and 26.

Given how much this varies by district, the one thing every parent can rely on is checking their own school's official notification rather than a general state-level assumption.