Summer uniform comes early to schools, thanks to winter’s poor show this season
Times of India | 19 February 2025
123 Kolkata: Summer uniforms in schools this year made an early debut compared to the last couple of years. With the rise in temperature, several schools have advised children to wear half-sleeve cotton wear as per their choice. Schools have also made special arrangements for exam halls to beat the heat.
As the school leaving exams across boards have begun, schools are making special arrangements for the centres where the board students are appearing for the exams. Many schools have permitted students to pack their blazers and sweaters for this year and to wear half-sleeves.
Many private schools affiliated to CISCE and CBSE switched on air-conditioners in mid-Feb to provide comfort to the board students. St. Xavier's Collegiate School principal Father Roshan Tirkey said that they used AC in one exam hall located on the top floor. However, it was not required until Saturday. In DPS Newtown the ACs have been switched on in the auditorium where the board exams are going on. Annual tests for the junior classes are also taking place but as the classrooms are airy, only the fans need to be switched on this time.
Though South City International School has centralised air-conditioning, the school usually starts using it from March. But, this year the school has started using it from mid-Feb. School principal Satabdi Bhattacharjee said, "Usually we switch on the AC from March, but considering the weather conditions this year, we had a meeting with the management and started using it from mid-Feb. ACs were kept on for the board students who were taking exams in the exam halls." Bhattacharjee said they have permitted the junior classes to wear summer uniforms as many parents wrote to the schools requesting to allow half-sleeves.
Julien Day School, Kalyani, has relaxed the neck-tie norms, considering the rise in temperature. Julien Day Group of Schools director of education and development Terence John said, "We have ensured that halls should have ventilation, and drinking water is made available at various spots on the campus. With the temperatute a bit worrisome, we have made a shed for the parents. We have also made the halls air conditioned. However, as the weather is so unpredictable we are asking them to be careful." He said the annual exams are scheduled to be held from Feb 24, where they have asked children to abstain from wearing neck-ties. "This year we are doing it much earlier before we reopen school in April, as we did find some kind of discomfort . There is no compulsion to wear neck-ties or blazers now. In the last couple of years, students came to take exams in blazers, but this time they don't need it as the temperature has gone up," he added.
State schools where Madhyamik exams started from Feb 10 saw fluctuating temperatures as the exams approached. Taki House School headmistress Swagata Basak said, "We had to switch on fans at the exam halls as the temperature has suddenly gone up. We are also keeping adequate drinking water as students are frequently coming to refill their bottles."
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