The Kerala government has declared Monday a holiday for all educational institutions in the state, including schools, colleges and professional colleges, to allow students to watch the FIFA World Cup final.

The holiday applies to schools under the General Education Department and higher education institutions, including professional colleges, under the Higher Education Department.

The decision follows a flood of requests from football fans, particularly students, on the social media pages of Chief Minister V D Satheesan and other ministers seeking a holiday. Several schools in Ernakulam had already announced a holiday for Monday ahead of the state government's decision.

The order was issued on the directions of Chief Minister V D Satheesan. The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina kicks off at 12.30 am IST on Monday.

Announcing the decision on Facebook, Higher Education Minister Roji M John said Monday had been declared a holiday for higher education institutions across Kerala, including professional colleges, to enable students to enjoy the final and avoid travel-related inconvenience afterwards.

General Education Minister N Samsudheen also announced a holiday for schools under his department in a social media post that began with the words, "Happy now, kids?" He said the decision was taken after considering requests from football-loving students to allow them to watch the World Cup final.