Bad air: Delhi primary schools to switch to hybrid mode classes

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Following a dip in air quality in Delhi, Stage III (Severe) measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) kicked in on Tuesday, and the government told schools to switch to hybrid mode for primary students up to Class V from Wednesday.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that safety measures are being taken at speed in light of GRAP stage III.

“Till Class V, online classes will be conducted from Wednesday. Hybrid mode will be in force in schools,” she said.

Citing the decision of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to involve GRAP Stage III, the Delhi government’s Education government said in circular, “Accordingly, all Heads of Schools of Government, Government Aided, Unaided Recognized Private Schools of DoE, NDMC, MCD and Delhi Cantonment Board are directed to conduct classes in schools for children up to Class V in a Hybrid Mode i.e., both in physical and online mode (wherever online mode is feasible) with immediate effect until further orders.”

“All Heads of Schools are further directed to disseminate this information to the parents and guardians of the students immediately,” said Director of Education Veditha Reddy.

Reddy also cited the CAQM circular, which pointed to severe air quality in the city.

The CAQM order said, “Accordingly, in an effort to prevent further deterioration of the air quality, the Sub Committee on GRAP hereby decide to invoke all actions under Stage-III ('Severe' Air Quality of Delhi) of extant schedule of GRAP, with immediate effect in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in Delhi NCR, in addition to the Stage-I and III actions already in force."

Actions under Stage I, II & III of the revised GRAP shall be implemented, monitored and reviewed by all the agencies concerned in the entire NCR to ensure that the AQI levels do not slip further.

All implementing agencies shall keep strict vigil and intensify measures of the extant schedule of GRAP. Citizens are requested to strictly adhere to the citizen charter under GRAP Stage-III, said CAQM.

Noting a sharp increase in AQI levels of Delhi, the Sub-Committee on GRAP, in its urgent meeting held on Tuesday, reviewed the air quality scenario in the region as well as the IMD/IITM forecasts.

The Sub-Committee observed that the AQI of Delhi, which was recorded as 362 for 10.11.2025 ('Very Poor' Category), exhibited a sharp increasing trend and was recorded 425 ('Severe' Category) at 9 a.m. on 11.11.2025 owing to calm winds, stable atmosphere and unfavourable meteorological conditions.

--IANS

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