The Delhi government on Monday directed government, private and civic body-run schools to conduct classes in “hybrid mode” – online and offline – with immediate effect, after the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced relaxations under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to mitigate educational disruptions caused by poor air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR).

All schools in the NCR had shifted to online lessons on October 18 amid a deterioration in the air quality in the area. On Monday, the Supreme Court had asked the CAQM to consider restarting physical classes in schools and colleges, noting many students lacked mid-day meals and infrastructure to attend online classes.

Clause 11 of GRAP Stage-III, Clause 5 of GRAP Stage-IV and Clause 8 of GRAP Stage-IV (to the extent it relates to colleges, educational institutions) are relaxed to the extent that State Govts in the NCR and GNCTD shall ensure that all classes upto 12th Standard in schools and those in colleges/educational institutions are conducted in a ‘hybrid’ mode, i.e, both in ‘physical’ and also in an ‘online’ mode,