Delhi pollution: Physical classes for 10th, 12th students suspended

New Delhi: In-person classes will be suspended for classes 10 and 12, the Delhi government announced on Monday as the city choked under "severe" levels of pollution for the sixth straight day.

"From tomorrow physical classes shall be suspended for Class 10 and 12 as well, and all studies will be shifted online," Chief Minister Atishi said in a post on X.

"With the imposition of GRAP-4 from Today, physical classes were discontinued for all students, apart from Class 10 and 12. All schools will hold online classes, until further orders," Chief Minister Atishi said in a post on X on Sunday.

The Directorate of Education, too, issued a circular directing the heads of government and private schools to discontinue the classes for all students, including class 10 and 12.

"All heads of government, government-aided, and unaided private recognised schools under the DoE, MCD, NDMC, and DCB are hereby directed to discontinue physical classes for all students of all classes including class X and class XII until further orders," the DoE stated in a circular.

Additionally, the heads of schools are instructed to ensure the dissemination of this information to the parents of the students immediately, it added.

The Commission for Air Quality Management on Sunday invoked stricter pollution control measures for the Delhi-NCR under the Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan, or GRAP, that came into effect from 8 am Monday. Physical classes for classes other than 10th and 12th had already been shifted online.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) worsened on Monday, reaching 494 at 4 pm.

According to the government's anti-pollution GRAP-IV measures, no trucks will be allowed into Delhi except for those carrying essential items or using clean fuel (LNG/CNG/BS-VI diesel/electric).

Non-essential light commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi will also be prohibited, except for EVs, CNG and BS-VI diesel vehicles.

Delhi-registered BS-IV or older diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles are banned, except for those used for essential services, the panel said.