New Delhi: The Delhi Government’s Directorate of Education has issued a directive mandating that classes for students up to Class IX and XI be conducted in a hybrid mode, after GRAP-III and GRAP-IV restrictions were reimposed in the National Capital Region on Wednesday.
The order requires all heads of schools across Government, Government Aided, Unaided Recognised Private Schools, as well as schools under the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Cantonment Board, to adopt this new mode of learning.
The official order reads: “All Heads of Schools of Govt., Govt. 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 IX & XI in a ‘Hybrid Mode,’ i.e., both in physical and online mode.”
This directive comes as part of broader measures to mitigate the impact of poor air quality, which has been a persistent issue in Delhi.
In response to worsening air pollution levels, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi-NCR has activated severe air quality measures under both Stage-III (‘Severe’) and Stage-IV (‘Severe+’) of the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
This move comes as the Air Quality Index (AQI) escalates, with forecasts indicating that the pollution levels could soon surpass the critical 400-mark, prompting the need for immediate intervention.
The action follows directives issued by the Supreme Court of India, which has been overseeing efforts to combat air pollution in the region. On December 5, 2024, the Court ordered that if the AQI exceeds 350, Stage-III measures must be enacted, and if the AQI crosses the 400 threshold, Stage-IV measures should be reinstated. In line with these directives, the CAQM has taken swift action to curb further deterioration of air quality.
Surge in AQI levels
According to the latest report from the CAQM, Delhi’s AQI registered at 275 on January 14, 2025, but rose sharply to 386 by January 15.
The rapid spike in pollution levels is attributed to dense fog and low temperatures, which have created poor air dispersion conditions, exacerbating the already hazardous levels of particulate matter in the atmosphere.
At 5:00 PM on January 15, the AQI had climbed to 393, and by 6:00 PM, it had reached 396. Given the worsening trends, the AQI is expected to surpass the 400 mark shortly, prompting the CAQM to invoke both Stage-III and Stage-IV measures immediately.
