Students Forced to Hold Morning Prayers Under Scorching Sun, Raising Safety Concerns Across Tripura Schools

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 30, 2026

Serious concerns have been raised over the practice of holding morning prayer assemblies in the open under the scorching sun at several government and private schools across Tripura. The issue has reportedly become particularly concerning during periods of intense summer heat, with students, many of them young children, being required to stand in direct sunlight for extended periods.

According to allegations raised by students and guardians, the problem is not limited to a single school or locality. Similar situations are reportedly being witnessed in a number of schools across Tripura, where prayer assemblies are organised in open areas without adequate shade, trees or other arrangements to protect students from direct sunlight.

In many schools, the designated prayer-assembly areas reportedly have little or no tree cover. As a result, students are made to stand under the direct rays of the sun while attending the assembly. The situation becomes particularly difficult during periods of extreme heat, when prolonged exposure to the sun can cause discomfort, dehydration, dizziness and other heat-related problems.

What has raised further questions is the alleged difference in the arrangements made for students and teachers. In some schools, teachers reportedly remain on verandahs or in comparatively shaded and cooler locations during the prayer assembly, while young students are required to stand in the open sun.

Parents and students have questioned whether such arrangements are appropriate, particularly for small children who may not be able to tolerate prolonged exposure to extreme heat. They have urged school authorities to consider practical alternatives rather than continuing to conduct assemblies in exposed areas during severe weather conditions.

The concerns have also reportedly surfaced in connection with a school in South Charilam English Medium School, where students allegedly protested against the decision to conduct the morning prayer assembly in the open despite the intense heat. The students reportedly raised objections to the conditions under which they were being asked to participate.

According to the allegations, the students claimed that they had repeatedly brought the issue to the attention of the school authorities, including the head teacher, Dipika Debbarma. However, they alleged that their concerns were not adequately addressed.

The students reportedly participate in a road blockade protest after allegedly receiving no satisfactory response. Their action has brought renewed attention to the broader question of how schools should balance traditional morning assemblies with the health and safety of students during periods of extreme weather.

The issue is particularly important because schoolchildren are among those most vulnerable to the effects of excessive heat. Standing in direct sunlight for a prolonged period, especially without sufficient drinking water, shade and ventilation, can potentially result in students feeling weak or becoming unwell.

It has also been alleged that students have fallen ill at some schools after standing in the sun during morning assemblies.

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