"Lungs Different For Classes X, XII?" Online Classes Request As Delhi Gasps

A Supreme Court hearing on Monday on a batch of pleas related to the worsening air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR) saw a petitioner questioning the Delhi government's decision to discontinue physical classes for all students, barring standards 10 and 12, arguing that the lungs of these students "cannot be different" from the others.

"The lungs of 10th and 12th students cannot be different from the other students... if a direction can be given to stop those physical classes as well," senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan told a bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice AG Masih, which was hearing the petitions seeking directions to curb air pollution in the Capital and adjoining areas.

Subsequently, the bench ordered all states in the NCR region to take an immediate call to stop physical classes up to standard 12 in view of the deteriorating air quality.

The government in Delhi, which has been grappling with severe air pollution, on Sunday announced discontinuation of physical classes from Monday for all students, barring classes 10 and 12, in view of the board exams next year. With the air quality worsening further to "severe plus" levels on Sunday evening, the government also announced the implementation of restrictions under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

"With the imposition of GRAP-4 from tomorrow, physical classes shall be 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.

Under Stage 4 of GRAP, which kicks in when the Air Quality Index crosses the 450 mark, commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi are banned from entering the Capital unless they are EVs, CNG or conform to BS-VI norms.

The Haryana government declared holidays for students up to class 5 in both government and private schools. It has directed deputy commissioners to extend the holiday or shift to online classes, depending on local air quality conditions.

Both the Punjab and Uttar Pradesh governments are yet to make any announcement on school closures.

Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana after harvesting the paddy crop in October and November is often blamed for the rise in air pollution in Delhi and neighbouring areas.