Bihar govt withdraws order on curtailing holidays for school teachers

Patna (Bihar) [India], September 5 : The Bihar education department has withdrawn its controversial order curtailing the holidays of school teachers on Diwali, Durga Pooja, Raksha Bandhan, and other festivals, as per a government order. 
"The holiday table issued for government/government-aided elementary and secondary/higher secondary schools under departmental order memorandum no. 2112 dated 29.08.2023 is cancelled with immediate effect," a circular issued by the Director of Secondary Education read.
The Bihar secondary education department had earlier announced the reduction of holidays for teachers from 23 to 11 which led to huge furore among teachers in the state who had even warned of protests. 
In many schools, teachers were seen attending classes wearing black badges. Many teachers had even gone to the extent of challenging the Additional Chief Secretary of the education department, KK Pathak. 
Several teachers had also pointed out that the attendance of students in those festive days would be, in any case, negligible.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is in opposition in the state had also criticised the Nitish Kumar government for curtailing holidays on Rakshabandhan, Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath. 
The education department had said that it aimed to hold classes for 220 days in an academic year and hence this decision was taken.