North India is currently experiencing a severe cold wave, prompting widespread school closures and extended winter vacations across several states to ensure student safety. In Delhi, all government, aided, and private schools are observing an extended winter break, remaining closed until January 15, 2026, as per directives from the Directorate of Education. Uttar Pradesh has also seen significant disruptions, with schools for Nursery to Class 8 ordered shut until January 15, 2026, in many districts, while classes for Grades 9 to 12 were initially closed until January 5, with some private institutions extending holidays further. This directive applies to schools affiliated with all boards, including CBSE, ICSE, and the UP Board. Rajasthan, too, is grappling with the intense cold, leading to school closures in approximately 20 districts. In Jaipur, for instance, schools for pre-primary to Class 5 are closed until January 10, while Classes 6 to 8 reopened around January 8 or 9. Other affected districts, including Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, and Bundi, have announced temporary closures for primary classes, with durations varying up to January 12. While students are on holiday, teaching and non-teaching staff are generally required to report, and examinations are proceeding as scheduled. Bihar schools, particularly up to Class 8, have also been impacted, with closures extended in various districts like Patna, where they remain shut until at least January 11. Similar measures are in place in Punjab, where all schools are closed until January 13, and Haryana, where government and private schools are observing winter holidays until January 15. Jharkhand schools were initially closed until January 8, with an extension until January 10 in Ranchi. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for dense to very dense fog and cold wave conditions that are expected to persist across North and Central India for several days, intensifying the winter chill and necessitating these precautionary school closures.