The Directorate of Education (DoE) has announced the immediate resumption of physical classes in all government and private schools across Delhi. This follows the Supreme Court's approval for the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to ease restrictions from Stage IV and III to Stage II under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
CAQM Eases GRAP Restrictions
In its order on December 5, 2024, the CAQM revoked the actions under Stage IV ("severe+") and Stage III ("severe") of GRAP, as the air quality in Delhi had significantly improved. The decision followed a review of air quality trends and forecasts by the GRAP sub-committee, which found that Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) had dropped substantially. The earlier measures imposed on November 14 and 17, 2024, were lifted, but the Supreme Court advised that restrictions should not fall below Stage II for now, meaning Stage I and II measures will remain in effect.
School Closures Revoked
In line with the CAQM's directive, the DoE has withdrawn all circulars related to school closures issued until November 25, 2024. With Stage IV and III restrictions lifted, all Delhi schools, both government and private, are required to resume physical classes immediately.
Air Quality Improvements
The decision to ease restrictions was based on air quality data from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), which showed that as of December 5, 2024, Delhi’s AQI had improved to 165, a "moderate" level. This was 135 points lower than the Stage II threshold (AQI 300-400). Despite this improvement, Delhi’s AQI is still expected to remain in the “poor” category in the coming days, prompting the Supreme Court to allow Stage II measures to continue for now to curb air pollution.
