The severe air quality crisis gripping the National Capital Region (NCR) has led to continued restrictions on schools. Today, Friday, November 14, classes for students up to the fifth grade in schools across Delhi and Gurugram shall continue to be conducted in a hybrid mode.
This directive allows students of Class 5 and below the option to attend classes either offline (physically) or online, providing flexibility to parents concerned about their children’s health.
Delhi Implements GRAP Stage-III School Curbs
The decision to shift to hybrid learning was initially announced by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday, following the official invocation of Stage-III curbs under the Commission for Air Quality Management’s (CAQM) Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the NCR.
- Reason: The Air Quality Index (AQI) in multiple stations across Delhi-NCR has consistently remained between the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories (above 400), despite the GRAP-III measures being in effect.
The hybrid directive specifically covers students up to the fifth grade. Parents are advised to check directly with their respective schools for any specific internal adjustments or instructions.
Gurugram and Faridabad Also Shift to Hybrid Model
The restrictions have also been extended to the districts bordering Delhi:
- Gurugram: The Deputy Commissioner announced on November 13 that all schools in Gurugram district must conduct classes for students up to Class V in Hybrid Mode—both Offline and Online (wherever feasible)—due to the deteriorating air quality.
- Faridabad: Officials in Faridabad have also issued similar orders, directing all schools to shift primary classes (up to Grade 5) to the hybrid model to safeguard children’s health.
- Parental Discretion: In both Gurugram and Faridabad, the option to attend classes online rests entirely with the students and their guardians, ensuring no student is forced to attend physical classes amid the health concerns.
While specific, blanket information for schools in the NCR districts of Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar (Noida) was not available, the CAQM’s GRAP-III mandate applies to these areas as well, and many schools in these districts have suspended outdoor activities or offered optional hybrid learning to protect students.