New Delhi, 20 November 2024: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed all schools in Delhi-NCR to suspend physical classes for students up to the 12th standard due to worsening air quality. This decision overrides an earlier directive by the Delhi government, which had restricted in-person classes only for students below classes 10 and 12.
A bench comprising Justices A.S. Oka and A.G. Masih issued the directive while hearing petitions seeking action against escalating air pollution in the capital and its surrounding regions.
During the proceedings, a petitioner questioned the rationale behind allowing physical classes for students in grades 10 and 12, arguing, “The lungs of students in these grades are no different from those in lower classes. Physical classes for them should also be stopped.”
The bench emphasized the urgency of the situation, instructing all states in the National Capital Region (NCR) to halt in-person classes across all grades. Additionally, it directed the states to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) at Level 4, the highest level of pollution control measures, and establish a citizen grievance redressal system for complaints related to air quality violations.
The court ordered that GRAP-4 restrictions remain in effect until further notice, regardless of whether the air quality index (AQI) temporarily improves below the critical threshold of 450.
This decision comes amid growing public concern over the hazardous air quality in Delhi-NCR, with health experts repeatedly warning of its severe impact on vulnerable populations, including children.
