Srinagar: After widespread protests in the Valley over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to close all educational institutions till March 7 as a safety step.
Education Minister Sakina Itoo told Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that schools, colleges, and universities will remain closed till Sunday to ensure the safety of students.
She said the government is closely watching the situation and will decide about reopening only after reviewing the ground conditions.
Earlier, schools up to 8th standard were scheduled to reopen after a winter break of more than two months. On February 23, classes from 9th to 12th had already resumed in the Kashmir division and winter zones of Jammu division after a break of over 70 days.
The School Education Department (SED) had earlier announced winter vacations in phases. Pre-primary classes (Balvatika) were closed from November 26 to February 28. Classes up to 8th standard had vacations from December 1 to February 28. For classes 9th to 12th, the winter break was from December 11 to February 22.
Teachers were asked to remain available for academic work during the vacation and report back on February 20 to prepare for reopening.
Colleges in Kashmir had resumed on February 16 after a 52-day winter break. The Higher Education Department had announced winter vacations for degree colleges from December 24, 2025, to February 14, 2026.
Officials said the closure till March 7 is temporary and aimed at maintaining peace and safety.