Delhi Schools Shift to Hybrid Mode for Young Students as Air Quality Plummets

School Shift

Delhi schools have been ordered to conduct classes up to class 5 in hybrid mode because of worsening air pollution in the national capital. The Delhi Directorate of Education issued this directive on Friday, applying to all government, government-aided, and unaided recognized private schools. Schools run by the NDMC, MCD, and Delhi Cantonment Board must also follow this rule, allowing students to attend either in person or online. School heads must inform parents immediately, while Deputy Directors of Education will visit schools to ensure smooth implementation.

Air Quality Levels

The air quality index at 9 a.m. on Saturday stood at 364, which falls under the very poor category. This followed a 24-hour average AQI of 382 recorded at 4 p.m. on Friday, according to Central Board of Pollution Control data. Hindustan Times reported that 21 monitoring stations recorded severe air quality on Saturday morning. The Central Pollution Control Board classifies an AQI of 301 to 400 as very poor and 401 to 500 as severe. Forecasts by the Air Quality Early Warning System predicted that pollution levels would touch the severe category on Saturday, a day before Diwali.

Context

Delhi experiences severe winter air pollution every year due to a mix of unfavorable weather conditions, local emissions, and seasonal factors like crop residue burning. Authorities use the Graded Response Action Plan to roll out emergency curbs, such as school closures or traffic restrictions, when air quality drops to dangerous levels.