Jharkhand schools shut till tomorrow as temperatures drop; IMD issues yellow alert: Check details

Schools across Jharkhand will remain closed for students till tomorrow, January 8, 2026, following an order issued by the state government on Monday in view of the intensifying cold wave and falling temperatures across the state. The closure will be effective from Tuesday and will apply to all classes, from pre-nursery to Class XII.According to the latest notifice released by the School Education and Literacy Department, all categories of schools, including government, private, and aided institutions, will remain closed for students during the specified period. The decision was taken after reviewing prevailing weather conditions and their impact on children’s health, officials said.“The decision has been taken considering the severe cold conditions prevailing in several parts of the state and their potential impact on children’s health,” the order stated, TNN reports.

Teachers and staff to report as usual

However, the closure applies only to students. Teachers and non-teaching staff have been instructed to report to their respective schools as per the usual schedule. The notification also clarified that if any pre-board examinations are scheduled during this period, the competent authority concerned may take an appropriate decision regarding their conduct.

Earlier district-level closures extended

Earlier, a few district administrations had independently ordered school closures for two days till January 6. With the fresh directive from the state government, the closure has now been extended uniformly across Jharkhand till January 8.

IMD issues yellow alert in eight districts

Meanwhile, the Ranchi office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a yellow alert for eight districts of the state, anticipating cold wave conditions till Wednesday. As per the IMD advisory, Lohardaga, Gumla, Latehar, Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Hazaribag, and Koderma districts are likely to remain under cold wave conditions over the next two days.

Minimum temperatures remain low across districts

Chilly winds continued to add to cold discomfort in Ranchi on Monday, according to IMD officials. The capital city recorded a minimum temperature of 6.6 degrees Celsius. Other districts also reported low minimum temperatures. Daltonganj recorded 6.3 degrees Celsius, Bokaro 8.5 degrees Celsius, Jamshedpur 11 degrees Celsius, and Chaibasa 11.6 degrees Celsius.

Government monitoring situation

Weather officials said that night temperatures across several parts of Jharkhand are expected to remain low, prompting precautionary measures, especially for school-going children. Parents are advised to follow official updates issued by district administrations and the education department.