The Delhi government has taken decisive action to protect schoolchildren from the capital's hazardous air, mandating a shift to online learning for its youngest students. This move comes as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) remains entrenched in the 'Severe' category, posing significant health risks.
Government Order for Nursery to Class V
On the evening of Monday, 15 December 2025, the Directorate of Education issued a revised circular impacting all recognised schools in the capital. The order explicitly states that physical classes for students from Nursery to Class V are discontinued until further orders. This directive applies uniformly to Government, Government Aided, and Unaided Private Recognised Schools across Delhi.
The government cited the prevailing high levels of air pollution as the primary reason for this intervention, aiming to shield young children, who are particularly vulnerable to respiratory illnesses, from exposure to toxic air.
What About Classes VI to XII?
The latest order clarifies the status for older students. While the youngest cohort moves fully online, the academic schedule for higher grades will follow the guidelines set in an earlier communication dated 13 December 2025.
According to that circular, students up to Class IX and those in Class XI must be offered a hybrid mode of learning. This means schools must provide the option for both physical attendance and online education. The choice between these modes rests entirely with the students and their parents or guardians.
Importantly, physical classes for students in Class X and Class XII will continue as usual. This decision is likely influenced by the crucial board examinations that these students face, where uninterrupted academic preparation is considered vital.
A City Choked by Smog
The backdrop to these educational disruptions is a visible environmental crisis. The iconic India Gate and other parts of New Delhi have been shrouded in a dense blanket of smog, with residents navigating the city under severely compromised air quality. The persistent 'Severe' AQI reading indicates that the concentration of harmful particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) is at a level that can affect even healthy individuals and seriously impact those with existing diseases.
The government's staggered approach—full online for younger kids, hybrid for middle grades, and in-person for board classes—reflects an attempt to balance public health concerns with academic continuity during a critical period of the school year.
