Air Pollution: Delhi-NCR schools, colleges closed until further notice

NEW DELHI: Schools and colleges in Delhi-NCR have shut again until further notice, this time for the dangerous levels of air pollution in and around Delhi.

In a set of directions issued late night on Tuesday by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), offices are to encourage work-from-home and operate with 50% staff strength; trucks and construction activities are temporarily banned.

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"All public and private schools, colleges and educational institutions in NCR shall remain closed until further orders allowing only online mode of education," said the direction from the CAQM. The direction came after the CAQM held an emergency meeting late Tuesday night with senior officials of Delhi, NCR, Haryana and Rajasthan. The meeting itself was prompted by the Supreme Court which will hear the case today.

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The Delhi Government had already closed schools for a week from November 13 due to pollution. They were to remain closed from November 15 to 20. "Online teaching activities shall continue," the circular from the directorate of education (DoE) Delhi had said, and "examinations for board classes would be conducted as per CBSE schedule. The CBSE term 1 exams for both Classes 10 and 12 have begun.

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Delhi was one of the first states to close schools at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Educational institutions had reopened for all classes only on November 1 after nearly 20 months of closure.