Delhi-NCR schools shift to hybrid mode for Classes 1–5 as AQI turns severe, GRAP Stage III invoked

Schools across Delhi-NCR have been directed to conduct classes up to Class 5 in hybrid mode as air pollution levels continue to deteriorate in the national capital and neighboring areas. The schools of Delhi-NCR have been asked to hold classes till Class 5 in hybrid mode as air pollution continues to deteriorate in the national capital and adjoining areas.

The move comes in response to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implementing stage III of its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in response to an increasing level of pollution. The decision was made by the Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday, November 6, 2026, which calls for an online-offline combination of school's education for primary school students.

The measure is meant to help minimize children's exposure to polluted outdoor air and to make sure they aren't prevented from studying. The hybrid learning will be implemented in schools of Delhi and five nearby NCR cities like Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat, according to the announcement.

Delhi-NCR Schools hybrid mode: Which classes will be affected? The government has issued the latest directions for the schools offering education till Class 5 to function in hybrid mode. Depending on the arrangements at each school, students will attend in-person classes or online classes.