CAQM directs schools in Delhi-NCR to adopt hybrid mode for classes up to 12th standard

Delhi schools shift to hybrid mode due to air pollution, impacting education quality and requiring strict restrictions.

Hours after the Supreme Court called for a review of the restrictions on physical classes due to air pollution, the Centre's air quality panel directed schools and colleges in Delhi-NCR on Monday (November 25, 2024) to shift classes up to the 12th standard to a "hybrid" mode.

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Poor air quality, driven by unfavourable weather conditions, usually persists for long periods during winter, from November to January.

During this time, Delhi often sees air quality levels requiring strict restrictions under the third and fourth stages of the air pollution control plan called GRAP, which significantly disrupt the education system and affect learning quality.

In a statement, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) noted that most primary schools in Delhi and other National Capital Region (NCR) areas lack the resources to conduct classes entirely online.

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It said the students of Classes 10 and 12, along with their school authorities, are the hardest hit by the stage-4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). These students are required to attend physical classes for practical lessons, tests and extra tutorials needed for board and competitive examinations, it said.