Tamil Nadu Extends Diwali Break: Schools, Colleges Get Extra Half-Day Holiday

The Diwali holiday for schools and educational institutions in Tamil Nadu has been extended, with the state government announcing a half-day holiday on Wednesday, October 30, in addition to the previously declared holidays on October 31 and November 1.

This creates an extended holiday period, allowing students, and teachers more time to travel to their hometowns and celebrate the festival with family.

Initially, October 31 was designated as a public holiday, but on October 19, 2024, the DMK government announced an additional day off to accommodate the high volume of travellers expected to leave Chennai and other cities. The extended break is expected to ease travel pressures and reduce congestion, as families can now depart well in advance for the festive celebrations.

In a statement, the government announced that November 9, a typical second Saturday bank holiday, will now be a working day to offset the extended holiday period. This measure is intended to maintain continuity in government operations while allowing officials and employees a stress-free holiday with their families.

With just days left until Deepavali, reports indicate that approximately 1,10,745 people have already travelled from Chennai to their hometowns via buses, with estimates suggesting that nearly five lakh more will make their journey over the coming two days, according to Maalaimalar, DTNext reported.