Delhi School Closure News: Primary schools shut, classes shifted online as pollution remains ‘severe’

Delhi School Closure News: Due to rising pollution levels in Delhi and air quality index reaching ‘severe’ level for a second consecutive day, the Delhi government has decided to close all primary schools in the national capital and shift classes to online mode, until further directions, announced Chief Minister Atishi.

“Due to rising pollution levels, all primary schools in Delhi will be shifting to online classes, until further directions,” Atishi announced in a post on social media X. Following the announcement by Atishi, the Delhi government's Directorate of Education circulated the order for the closure of primary classes.

The order states, “All the Heads of Govt., Govt. Aided and Unaided Private Recognized Schools of Directorate of Education (DoE), MCD, NDMC & DCB in Delhi are directed to discontinue physical classes in schools for children up to Class V. Heads of Schools are hereby directed to ensure classes in online mode for the students of these classes till further orders.”

What does this order mean?

The order means that students up to Grade 5 will take tuitions online. The order is applicable for all government, aided and unaided private recognized schools of Directorate of Education (DoE), MCD, NDMC & DCB in Delhi.

When will physical classes resume in Delhi schools?

There is no notice on the resumption of physical classes in schools in Delhi.

The decision to close all schools and classes up to Grade 5 and shift classes online has been taken after the central pollution watchdog imposed restrictions under the third stage of the GRAP in Delhi-NCR, banning all construction and demolition activities and restricting the entry of certain vehicles in Delhi.

The restrictions to prevent air quality in Delhi to get worse will come into force from 8 am Friday, November 15, until further notification.

Under the GRAP III curbs, all construction and demolition activities will be banned until further guidelines and entry of certain vehicles into Delhi shall be restricted.

From tomorrow, all Inter-State buses from NCR states – except electric vehicles, CNG vehicles and BS-VI diesel buses – will be prohibited from entering Delhi. All Inter-State buses from NCR states other than EVs/CNG/BS-VI diesel will not be allowed to enter Delhi – these exclude buses/tempo travelers operated with All India Tourist PermiN.

Construction and demolition activities shall, however, be permitted for projects hospitals, health care facilities, national security, defence related activities, projects of national importance, water supply projects, public infrastructure projects such as work on highways, roads etc.

GRAP for the National Capital Region (NCR) is classified under four different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi: Stage I – ‘poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II – ‘very poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage III – ‘severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage IV – ‘severe plus’ (AQI >450).