All schools from Classes 1 to 12 and Anganwadi centres in Dehradun district will remain closed on Tuesday, September 1, following an Orange Alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning. The one-day closure was ordered by the Dehradun district administration as a precautionary disaster-management measure after the latest weather forecast and nowcast indicated the possibility of intense to extremely intense spells of rain over the next 24 hours.

Which schools will remain closed?

The order covers government, government-aided, private and non-government schools operating Classes 1 to 12 across Dehradun district. All Anganwadi centres in the district are also covered.The District Magistrate and chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority directed the Chief Education Officer and District Programme Officer to ensure that the order is implemented across the district.

Why have schools been closed?

The India Meteorological Department has issued an Orange Alert for Dehradun, warning of heavy to very heavy rain, lightning and isolated spells of extremely intense rainfall. The administration said such conditions could increase the possibility of accidents and other weather-related incidents. The school closure has therefore been announced to reduce risks to students, teachers and staff.

Heavy rain already affecting Dehradun

The closure comes after heavy rainfall caused disruption in several parts of the district. Six rural roads were reported blocked, while rain damaged roads and houses and pushed some rivers close to or above warning levels. The Tons River was flowing above its warning level, while the Yamuna near Dakpatthar was reported to be just below the warning mark. Authorities also evacuated some houses in areas affected by landslides and rain-related damage. Several parts of Dehradun city also experienced waterlogging following heavy rain, with traffic affected on major roads and response teams deployed in affected areas.

Ganga water level rises in Rishikesh

The impact of the continuing rainfall is also being monitored in Rishikesh, where the Ganga's water level has risen. Officials said the river remained below the warning mark, but SDRF, Water Police and disaster-response teams have been deployed at major ghats as a precaution. Authorities have also been using public announcements to advise tourists, devotees and residents to exercise caution around the river and avoid risky activities.

What happens after September 1?

The current order covers one day — September 1. Any further closure will depend on the weather situation and subsequent instructions from the district administration. The wider weather situation remains active, with heavy rainfall and thunderstorms expected in parts of Uttarakhand. Parents and students should therefore follow official district-level announcements for any further changes.

Schools in several parts of India are set to remain closed on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, with Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi and Onam among the major festivals being observed on the day. However, school holiday schedules can vary depending on state government notifications, district-level orders and individual institutions' academic calendars.

Parents and students should therefore verify the holiday through their school's official circular, website or academic calendar before making plans.

Eid-e-Milad Holiday on August 26

Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, also known as Milad-un-Nabi or Mawlid, falls on August 26 this year. The occasion commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad and is observed in different parts of India.

Schools in several states are expected to remain closed on Wednesday on account of the festival. The exact status, however, can differ between states and educational boards based on local holiday notifications.

Students should also note that a public or gazetted holiday does not necessarily mean every private school will follow an identical schedule. Institutions may have their own academic calendars and holiday policies.

Onam School Holiday

Onam is another major festival being observed on August 26, particularly in Kerala. The festival is traditionally associated with the harvest season and the legend of King Mahabali.

Schools in Kerala are expected to observe holidays around the Onam period as part of the state's festive calendar. Some schools in other parts of the country may also grant an Onam holiday, particularly institutions that include the festival in their academic calendars.

The holiday pattern can therefore vary even within the same state, making it important for parents to check school-specific announcements.

Raksha Bandhan Holiday on August 28

The holiday calendar for the week also includes Raksha Bandhan on Friday, August 28. Schools in several northern and central Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Gujarat, may remain closed for the festival, depending on the applicable state or institutional holiday calendar.

Raksha Bandhan is widely celebrated across northern India, while its observance and school holiday status may differ in southern and northeastern states.

State-Wise Holiday Schedule

There is no single nationwide school calendar that applies uniformly to every institution. Government schools generally follow state or district education department notifications, while private schools may follow their own annual calendars.

For August 26, parents in states where Eid-e-Milad is listed as a public holiday should check whether the notification specifically applies to educational institutions. In Kerala, the Onam holiday schedule will determine school closures.

Schools may also announce additional holidays or changes because of local conditions, examinations or administrative decisions.

Check School Circular Before Planning

Students and parents are advised not to rely solely on social media posts or generic holiday lists. The most reliable information will come from the concerned school's official circular, parent communication system or academic calendar.

The same festival can also have different holiday arrangements across states, districts and school boards. Therefore, checking the institution's latest communication is particularly important for students who have examinations, practical classes or other scheduled activities.

August 26 Holiday: Key Details

• Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026

• Major festivals: Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi and Onam

• School closure: Expected in many locations, subject to local notifications

• Kerala: Onam-related holiday arrangements apply

• August 28: Raksha Bandhan may bring another school holiday in several northern states

• Important: School-specific calendars and government orders should be checked for confirmation

The August 26 holiday will therefore not necessarily follow one uniform pattern across India. While many students are likely to get a day off for Eid-e-Milad or Onam, parents should confirm the status with their respective schools before assuming that classes are cancelled.

The order covers the full period from July 30 to August 11, 2026, spanning the entire duration of this year's pilgrimage. The Kanwar Yatra begins on July 30 — the first day of the sacred Hindu month of Shravan (Sawan) — and builds toward its peak on Sawan Shivratri, August 11, when devotees perform jalabhishek, offering Ganga water to Shiva idols in temples across North India.

This year's arrangements include a notable first for the pilgrimage: Haridwar police are deploying cyber commandos for the first time specifically to monitor and manage the Yatra, alongside the traditional security setup of magistrates, additional police personnel and CCTV surveillance that Haridwar puts in place every year to handle the crowds. Ahead of the Yatra, police in Rishikesh held a coordination meeting with officials from three districts, directing them to accelerate preparations before the pilgrimage begins.

The scale of the closure reflects the sheer volume of pilgrims Haridwar handles during this window. In recent years, the Kanwar Mela has drawn upward of 2.5 to 7 crore devotees to the city over the course of the pilgrimage, arriving from across North India — Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan among the biggest contributing states — to collect holy water from Har-ki-Pauri before carrying it, often on foot, to Shiva temples back home. With that scale of movement through the city, road closures, traffic diversions and heavy footfall around the Ganga ghats make continued school and college operation impractical for the district during this window.

Families and students outside Haridwar district planning to travel through the region — particularly toward Rishikesh, Dehradun or Mussoorie — should factor in the same window, since the roads along the Delhi-Meerut-Muzaffarnagar-Haridwar corridor typically see heavy diversions and closures for roughly two weeks around the pilgrimage's peak.

Students and parents in Haridwar are advised to confirm the exact reopening date with their specific school, since some institutions may resume slightly earlier or later depending on local administrative orders issued closer to the pilgrimage's conclusion.

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.