Schools, colleges shut in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, J-K amid Pak tensions
Educational institutes in border states shut amid escalating Indo-Pak tensions, following Islamabad's attempted drone and missile strikes on key Indian sites
 "Schools, colleges shut in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, J-K amid Pak tensions")
Educational institutions in border states like Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and will remain closed for the coming few days in view of the escalating military tensions with Pakistan.
This came after the Defence Ministry said that India thwarted Pakistan's attempts to hit various key Indian military installations, including stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, with drones and missiles on Thursday evening.
Jammu and Kashmir
All schools, colleges and universities in the Union territory will remain closed for two days as a precautionary measure.
"All schools, colleges and universities in Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed for two days on Friday and Saturday," PTI quoted UT Education Minister Sakina Itoo as saying.
All schools, colleges and educational institutions will also remain closed in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch on Friday, May 9, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu wrote on X.
Punjab
All schools, colleges and universities -- government, private and aided -- across Punjab will remain closed for the next three days, said Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains in a post on X.
Rajasthan
Government and private schools in Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts will remain closed. All colleges in Jodhpur were also ordered to remain closed.
Rajasthan has also cancelled administrative and police personnel's leaves deployed near the International Border. The leaves of all medical, nursing and paramedical staffers have been cancelled.
Himachal Pradesh
All government and private educational institutions will remain closed in Una district of Himachal Pradesh on Friday, May 9.
India-Pak border tensions
Tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours soared after the Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes early on Wednesday in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under 'Operation Sindoor'. The armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.
On Thursday, India said it had neutralised an air defence system in Lahore in a measured military response to Pakistan’s attempted drone and missile attacks on Indian military installations last night.
Blackout in Indian cities
On late Thursday evening, Pakistan again launched a series of missiles and drones on some Indian cities in the bordering states, following which a blackout was enforced in some areas.
In Jammu, Pakistan launched at least eight missiles aimed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia. All the projectiles were neutralised by air defence units, according to defence sources. A total blackout was observed in Jammu city on Thursday after two powerful explosions were heard near the airport.
In Punjab, a blackout was enforced in many cities, including Pathankot, Mohali, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur.
In Rajasthan, a blackout was enforced from 9 pm to 4 am in Barmer and Jaisalmer. In Jodhpur, a blackout is enforced from 12.30 am to 4 am. (With inputs from agencies)