Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 1: Government today ordered the closure of all educational institutions for two days amid protests across Kashmir following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
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The decision has deferred the scheduled reopening of classes up to Class 8, which was slated for Monday.
Education Minister Sakeena Itoo said the decision was taken in view of the prevailing situation and concerns over student safety.
She said the Government had decided to shut schools, colleges, and universities for two days to ensure the safety of students.
The administration, she added, is closely monitoring the situation, and a decision on reopening institutions will be taken only after assessing the ground situation.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) issued an order directing the closure of all government and private recognised schools across the Kashmir Division on March 2 and March 3.
“All educational institutions in the division shall remain closed on March 2 and March 3,” the order stated, adding that the decision had been taken “in the interest of administration and student safety.”
In a separate order, the Director Colleges, Kashmir, directed that all Government Degree Colleges, GCET, and private colleges in the Kashmir Division shall remain closed on March 2 and 3, in the interest of administration.
The Central University of Kashmir (CUK) initially decided to suspend routine physical classwork for students for two days (March 2 and 3), with classes to be conducted in online mode during this period, Registrar CUK said.
However, the university later withdrew the decision to hold online classes due to restricted internet speed. As per the CUK, the routine classwork at CUK will remain suspended for the two days.
Kashmir University also notified that all University examinations scheduled to be held on March 2, stand postponed. Fresh dates for the conduct of the examinations will be notified separately.
The closure comes at a time when schools up to Class 8 were scheduled to reopen after a winter break of over two months.
Academic activities for Classes 9 to 12 had already resumed on February 23 in the Kashmir Division and the winter zones of the Jammu Division following a 70-day winter vacation.
According to the School Education Department (SED), winter vacations for Classes 9 to 12 were observed from December 11, 2025, to February 22, 2026, while classes up to Class 8 were on break from December 1 to February 28.
The department had earlier directed teaching staff to remain available for academic duties during the vacation period and to report to their institutions on February 20 for preparatory arrangements ahead of reopening.
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