No Holiday for Pune Schools During State Mourning Period Over Ajit Pawar’s Death
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 28th January 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday clarified that there is no order to close schools in the city on Thursday (January 29) or Friday (January 30) despite the three-day state mourning declared following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
PMC Additional Commissioner Prithviraj BP said that educational institutions in Pune will function as usual unless a separate directive is issued. “There is no instruction from the state or civic administration to shut down schools. Classes will continue as scheduled,” he said.
The officials from the Pune district collector’s office, as well as the state education department, also clarified that there is no order to close the schools.
Earlier in the day, the Government of Maharashtra announced the demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Ashatai Anantrao Pawar and issued an official circular declaring a three-day period of state mourning from January 28 to January 30, 2026.
According to a wireless message from the General Administration Department (Protocol Section), the mourning period will be observed across Maharashtra. The notification, signed by Under Secretary H.P. Baviskar, stated that the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings, and no official entertainment programmes will be held during the three days.
The state government has also declared January 28, 2026 (Wednesday) as a holiday for all state government offices across Maharashtra in view of the Deputy Chief Minister’s passing.
Instructions have been sent to the Chief Secretary, all Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors, and Police Commissioners in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and other districts to ensure strict implementation of the mourning protocols.
However, civic officials have made it clear that the mourning period and government office holiday do not apply to schools, and there is currently no plan to suspend classes.
