Across India, rising heatwaves and extreme weather are disrupting schooling. States are shifting school hours or announcing early vacations to protect children. However, the broader impact of climate change is deepening educational inequities and threatening the future of millions.

BulletsIn

• Rising heat forces states like Odisha, Maharashtra, Gujarat to shift school timings early.
• Chhattisgarh, West Bengal announce early summer breaks to protect students from extreme heat.
• Climate shocks affected schooling of 242 million children globally in 2024; 54.8 million in India alone.
• Delhi-NCR schools often shut down for weeks due to smog and severe winter pollution.
• Floods damage thousands of schools in states like Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya yearly.
• Post-flood, children miss school due to lost books, uniforms, family income needs.
• Studies link poor air quality, extreme heat to lower cognitive performance and academic scores.
• Vulnerable groups—girls, rural children, disabled—suffer the most from school disruptions.
• Midday meal schemes also disrupted, worsening learning loss among poorest students.
• Experts call for urgent steps: resilient infrastructure, climate education, digital learning, increased funding.