Dakshina Kannada Considers Taluk-Wise Rain Holidays to Minimise Academic Disruption

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 26, 2026: The Dakshina Kannada district administration is considering introducing taluk-wise rain holidays instead of district-wide closures following criticism that several holiday declarations this monsoon were unnecessary and disrupted academic activities in areas that received little or no rainfall.

The proposal comes after the district, which declared one of the highest numbers of rain holidays in Karnataka this year, faced criticism over decisions based on forecasts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) that did not always reflect the actual weather conditions across all taluks.

Of the seven rain holidays declared this year, rainfall varied significantly across the district. While some taluks experienced heavy rain and hazardous conditions, several others recorded only light or moderate rainfall. Despite the differing conditions, holidays were declared across the district, prompting educational institutions and academicians to question the need for blanket closures.

To address the issue, the district administration is considering a system under which holidays would be declared only in taluks facing adverse weather conditions, based on reports submitted by Tahsildars, Block Education Officers (BEOs), and other local authorities.

Deputy Commissioner Darshan H.V. said that the safety of children remains the administration’s foremost priority whenever the IMD issues weather alerts.

"Education is important, but the lives and safety of children are equally valuable. At the same time, we intend to introduce a taluk-wise system for declaring rain holidays in the future," he said.

The district administration had earlier issued notices to 10 schools and colleges for conducting classes despite the declaration of rain holidays. The institutions have since submitted written apologies and assured the authorities that they would strictly comply with government directives in the future.

Authorities have also received complaints that some schools and pre-university colleges continued to hold classes over the past three days despite holiday orders. Officials have been directed to take appropriate action, and in some instances, inspection teams reportedly visited the institutions and ordered the suspension of classes.

Educational institutions have expressed concern over the repeated declaration of rain holidays, stating that Dakshina Kannada, a major educational hub, attracts thousands of students from across Karnataka and neighbouring states. Frequent closures, they said, delay syllabus completion, disrupt examination schedules, compel hostel students to remain on campus for extended periods, and inconvenience students and parents from outside the district.

Legislative Council member S.L. Bhojegowda urged the district administration and the State Government to adopt a taluk-wise or zone-wise approach to declaring rain holidays. He said IMD forecasts have, on several occasions, not reflected the actual weather conditions in different parts of the district, resulting in district-wide closures even in areas with little or no rainfall. Such blanket decisions, he said, adversely affect students’ education and should be replaced with more localized, weather-based assessments.