Authorities have mandated a mix of online and offline classes for primary students as air pollution levels reach the severe category.
Schools in Delhi and five neighbouring NCR cities, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat, must conduct classes up to Class 5 in hybrid mode, according to The Times of India. The directive was announced on Friday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) entered the severe category.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that the hybrid arrangement is mandatory for both government and private institutions. Under this system, students and parents can choose to attend lessons either physically or online, depending on the facilities provided by the schools.
The decision follows the invocation of Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on November 6. This measure is a precautionary response to worsening air quality ahead of Diwali.
Minister Sirsa warned that weather conditions might further deteriorate, noting that the India Meteorological Department expects wind speeds to fall to nearly zero. Such conditions could prevent pollutants from dispersing, causing them to accumulate in the atmosphere.
The current order does not apply to students in Classes 6 to 12, nor does it mandate a complete closure of schools. The hybrid requirement will remain in place for as long as the GRAP Stage III restrictions are active.
