Delhi Shifts Classes Online For Students Up To Grade 9 Amid Severe Pollution

Delhi schools up to Class 9 will switch to online classes starting Monday due to worsening air pollution levels, the Delhi government announced on Sunday. However, students in Grades 10 and 12 will continue with in-person classes as scheduled.

“With the imposition of GRAP-4 from tomorrow, physical classes shall be discontinued for all students, apart from Class 10 and 12. All schools will hold online classes until further orders,” Chief Minister Atishi posted on X.

This decision followed the Centre’s air quality panel’s directive to enforce Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from 8 am on Monday, implementing stricter pollution controls.

Also Read: Delhi’s Air Quality Reaches ‘Severe Plus’ Level, AQI Soars To 457

GRAP-IV measures include a total ban on truck entry into Delhi, except for those transporting essential goods or using clean fuels like LNG, CNG, BS-VI diesel, or electricity. Non-essential light commercial vehicles from outside Delhi are also prohibited unless operating on cleaner energy sources. Additionally, all Delhi-registered medium and heavy diesel vehicles compliant with BS-IV standards or older are barred, except for essential services. Construction work on public infrastructure projects has also been suspended.

Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 457 on Sunday evening, breaching the ‘severe plus’ level. As per the Central Pollution Control Board, Delhi was ranked the second most polluted city in India, with Bahadurgarh, Haryana, recording the highest AQI at 445.