"I have clearly told the Bishop that rolling back the session to January will help to considerably increase the number of teaching days. This will specially benefit the final year boys and girls, who will get exactly a year to complete the syllabus and about three months' time for preparation and remedial classes. Under the present system, students are getting only about nine months' time," explained TH Ireland, principal of St James' School.

The matter is also being debated by the Association of Heads of Anglo-Indian Schools, which has principals of all ICSE schools as members. A meeting of the association, slated for the end of the month, is expected to be conclusive. Among the other schools in favour of the change are Pratt Memorial and the four Julien Day schools.

"I have already drawn up a chart showing how teaching days are gained if we switch over to a January-December academic session. So much time is lost under the present system after the annual exam in March, when no classes are held for nearly a month as teachers are busy correcting answer scripts. Thereafter, schools reopen briefly only to close for summer vacations," explained JK Sen, director of the Julien Day group of schools and vice-president of the association.

"If we shift to January, there will be uninterrupted classes for five months till the summer vacation, where a major portion of the syllabus can be covered. Thereafter, classes will be held at a stretch from June to October before a short Puja break and then again till December, after which the annual exams can be held and results declared. Students can come back refreshed in the new year," Sen added.