RAIPUR: The Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI), Chhattisgarh government, has moved swiftly to clear widespread confusion caused by a fraudulent circular circulating on social media that stated owing to "severe heatwave conditions," the summer vacation had been extended until June 30, shifting the school reopening date to July 1, 2026.
Interestingly, to manipulate the public and educational institutions, the orchestrators of the hoax copied the exact dispatch numbers (क्र./विद्या/50/शाला संचालन/2026-27/271 and 272), official letterheads, and the digital signature of the Director of Public Instruction from the genuine order issued on June 12, 2026.
Officials have confirmed that all government and private schools across the state will officially reopen for the new academic session on June 16, 2026, as originally scheduled.
The clarification came after a meticulously forged official letter went viral across WhatsApp and other digital platforms.
A close comparison of the two letters released by authorities highlights how the fake directive was manufactured. The authentic order stated that the summer vacation—which was active from April 20 to June 15—is concluding, and regular academic operations must systematically resume from June 16. And the fabricated order completely rewrote the body text to insert a narrative about severe weather and a extended break until June 30.
Education department officials have strongly condemned the misinformation campaign, warning that it creates unnecessary logistical chaos for parents, students, and school administrators alike.
“Authorities are tracing the origin of the forged document, and strict legal action is expected to be taken against the miscreants under cyber laws for forging government directives,” a senior officer of the school education department told this newspaper.
The state government has instructed all District Education Officers (DEOs) and Joint Directors of the school education department to ensure 100 percent student and teacher attendance is maintained on June 16. Schools have been ordered to complete necessary campus cleaning and preparation works by June 15 to welcome students back with the traditional Shala Pravesh Utsav celebrations.