Christmas Holidays 2025: Kerala Schools Announce 12-Day Vacation for Students

The Kerala government has officially announced a longer Christmas vacation for school students this year, granting a 12-day holiday following adjustments to the half-yearly examination schedule. Schools will close on December 24 and reopen on January 5, according to the General Education Department.

The revised timetable comes after the local body elections held on December 9 and 11, which coincided with previously scheduled exam dates. Half-yearly examinations will now run from December 15 to 23, after which schools will break for Christmas. Classes will resume on January 5.

Originally, the 2025–26 academic calendar had set the exam period from December 11 to 18, with Christmas holidays planned from December 19 to 29. However, the overlap with polling days forced the department to shift the exams and extend the vacation window.

This year’s schedule gives students two extra holidays, compared with the usual 10-day Christmas break. With weekends included, students will end up attending classes for barely half of December, and the election-related changes have added even more days off. Schools designated as centres for storing or distributing voting machines may be allotted additional holidays based on administrative needs.

The General Education Department has issued a circular with the updated schedule to Deputy Directors of Education, Regional Directors, DIET principals, district and sub-district education officers, and heads of all schools.