Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army’s targeted missile attack on nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), resulted in the sudden closure of schools in several sensitive border districts on Wednesday. The step was taken against the backdrop of increased security tensions and retaliatory fire from across the Line of Control (LoC), and precautionary steps were initiated in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
Following Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba at their strategic bases, authorities directed the closure of schools and colleges in Jammu division’s border districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch. Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar confirmed the closure through an official notification on social media, saying, “In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges, and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch will remain closed today.”
The effect of Operation Sindoor spread to Kashmir too, as schools and colleges were closed in Baramulla, Kupwara, and the Gurez area of Bandipora. Sudden school closures were also witnessed in the areas around Srinagar airport.
Classwork was also interfered with to a large extent, as Kashmir University and Cluster University rescheduled all exams that were to be held on the day. A Kashmir University spokesperson assured students that new dates would be issued in due course.
Operation Sindoor: What are the effects of the strike on civilian life and schools around the border?
In Punjab, the after-effects of Operation Sindoor were deeply felt in the border regions of Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur. The government made a decision to totally shut down schools in all these regions, with schools in Pathankot being asked to be shut down for the next 72 hours as a precautionary measure.
In Rajasthan also, the same precautionary steps were adopted. Educational institutions in the border districts of Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer were shut down on Wednesday in view of possible cross-border skirmishes.
The major military action under Operation Sindoor came in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. Defence sources say that the pre-dawn attacks on Wednesday were aimed at high-value terror launchpads and ordnance dumps located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and bordering areas in Pakistan. The attacks are said to have caused heavy damage to infrastructure belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
After the strikes, Pakistani troops retaliated with massive cross-border firing, especially along the Poonch sector in Jammu. The firing resulted in the death of at least 10 civilians and wounded more than 40, said local officials. Firing also set homes ablaze and destroyed several houses, forcing hundreds of people living on the border to seek refuge in safe areas.
Emergency relief and shelter operations are in progress in the affected region. Local authorities are working together with disaster response teams to supply temporary shelter, food, and medical assistance to displaced families.
In spite of growing tension, the officials clarified that Operation Sindoor was a strategic and inevitable reaction to successive terror attacks from across the border. Military experts have appreciated the precision of the operation as well as the deterrent message it sent, although administrative debates still remain dominated by fears for civilian safety.
The Union Home Ministry is reportedly monitoring the ground situation closely and may issue further guidelines for educational institutions and public safety measures if hostilities persist. Meanwhile, defense analysts have warned that the region may remain volatile in the coming days, especially along the LoC.
With the academic calendar already thrown into disarray by weather-related and political disruptions earlier in the year, the indefinite shut-down of schools serves to underscore the larger social costs of cross-border conflicts, especially for education.
As India keeps its border districts on high alert, the success and implications of Operation Sindoor remain to be seen across military, political, and civilian domains.
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