Excessive Heat Forced 7 in 10 School Children To Miss Classes This Summer, Report Finds

Nearly seven in every 10 school going children across India missed school or routine activities due to excessive heat between May and June this year, according to a new report by child rights NGO CRY. The assessment, titled "Feeling the Heat: Children's Voices on Heat, Well Being and Learning in India," gathered responses from 3,096 school going children aged 10 to 17 years across 27 states and Union Territories.

The report found that 88 per cent of children felt this year's summer was hotter than previous years, while 68 per cent reported missing school or routine activities due to heat related distress.

Excessive Heat Hurting Focus And Learning

The report said 76 per cent of children felt excessive heat negatively affected their ability to focus on studies. Around 47 per cent identified the afternoon as the most difficult part of the day, while more than 45 per cent said school hours were particularly uncomfortable. As Heat Waves Loom, Scientists Wonder How Humans Will Adapt.

India witnessed repeated heatwave conditions through the summer of 2026, with temperatures crossing 45 degrees Celsius in several states. Schools in many regions revised timings, curtailed outdoor activities and, in some places, temporarily suspended classes.

According to the India Meteorological Department's Annual Climate Statement 2025, 2024 was India's warmest year on record since 1901, while the decade 2016 to 2025 was the warmest ever recorded, with 10 of the 15 warmest years falling within this period. Heatwave in India: Roads and Markets Empty as Delhi Temperatures Near 45 Degrees Celsius, Farmers Shift to Night Work.

Health Toll Of Excessive Heat On Children

The assessment flagged a growing health burden linked to excessive heat, with 63 per cent of children reporting dehydration, 51 per cent suffering headaches, and 44 per cent experiencing extreme fatigue during intense heat spells.

More than half of respondents, 53 per cent, reported frequent power interruptions or overheated living spaces at home, while nearly three in 10 experienced water shortages.

A 17 year old girl from Jharkhand told the surveyors, "On a particularly hot day, I found it difficult to concentrate at school because the temperature was extremely high. The classroom felt warm and uncomfortable, and I became tired more quickly than usual."

Excessive Heat Impact Uneven Across Income Groups

The findings showed excessive heat is not experienced equally. Around 71 per cent of children from daily wage or manual labour families reported severe heat related distress, compared to 46 per cent from other households.

Nearly 59 per cent of children said excessive heat had made work harder for their parents, while 58 per cent noticed changes in their parents' mood or behaviour, and 43 per cent reported increased stress or irritability at home.

CRY CEO Puja Marwaha said, "While temperature records tell us how hot it is becoming, children tell us what that heat is impacting their lives, how it affects their learning, health, and overall well being."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 09, 2026 08:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).