The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education had recently decided to start the school session in the state on May 9. “Due to high temperatures, the board may consider extending the vacation,” said Mamata Roy, president of the board.

In the new academic calender, the schools have 65 days of vacation, including 18 days of summer vacation.

General secretary of the All Bengal Teacher’s Association (ABTA) Shivaprasad Mukherjee also supported the extension of the vacation. However, some teachers’ unions feel that the decision has been made to spare teachers for the panchayat elections beginning May 11, to help the ruling party.

“The decision will facilitate availability of teachers for the panchayat elections to help the ruling party,” said Subhankar Banerjee, general secretary of the Secondary Employees and Teachers’ Association.