DoE circular sets 220-day minimum for Delhi schools in academic calendar

The Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued a circular directing schools in Delhi to adhere to a minimum of 220 working days in an academic year. The mandate, in accordance with Section 19 of the RTE Act-2009 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, applies to all schools under the DoE. The circular emphasises the importance of considering notified lists of gazetted/restricted/local holidays for the calendar year (January to December) while ensuring the completion of the stipulated working days.

Prior to the commencement of the academic year and before the observance of holidays, the heads of government schools are instructed to confirm that 220 working days are fulfilled. The Deputy District Education (DDE) officers are also urged to strictly enforce compliance before sanctioning restricted/local holidays for schools under their jurisdiction. Additionally, unaided recognised schools must obtain approval for holidays from their respective management.

In a related development, all government-aided and private schools in Delhi have resumed offline classes from November 20, 2023 following the revocation of GRAP IV. The decision is based on improved Air Quality Index (AQI) and forecasts from the IMD/IITM indicating no indication of a sharp degradation in Delhi’s AQI in the near future, as mentioned in an official circular by the DoE.