Will classes switch to hybrid mode in Delhi for up to class 5? What Supreme Court said

The Supreme Court upheld Delhi's decision to suspend physical classes for young students due to severe air pollution, prioritizing health over hybrid learning.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to interfere with the Delhi government’s decision to suspend physical classes for students from nursery to Class 5 and shift them entirely to online mode amid severe air pollution, signalling that any move to a hybrid model for younger children must be left to policymakers rather than courts.

The Supreme Court emphasized that any future models should be determined by policymakers, not the judiciary. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo) (HT_PRINT)

Hearing a batch of pleas challenging the December 15 order, the bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the measure was a temporary response to an “extreme situation” and should be viewed in the context of the approaching winter break. The court observed that allowing daily travel for young children in such conditions could expose them to serious health risks and stressed that judicial intervention was unwarranted when the state had taken a policy call to prioritise children’s health.

Parents opposing the closure had argued for a hybrid system, citing concerns about learning loss, inequity, and the impact on children from economically weaker backgrounds who depend on schools for mid-day meals. However, the bench flagged that a hybrid option could itself be discriminatory, as it would expose some children to polluted air while others stayed home with access to better safeguards.

While the court did not direct a return to hybrid classes, it left the door open for future reconsideration. It stated that the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) could examine whether schools should operate online, in hybrid mode, or with parental choice, depending on air quality and public health considerations going forward.

The ruling came against the backdrop of tightened pollution curbs in Delhi under GRAP Stage 4, including work-from-home mandates and restrictions on vehicles and construction activities. The court also reiterated that Delhi’s air pollution crisis has become an annual phenomenon, calling for long-term, preventive planning rather than emergency measures.

According to ANI, while declining to intervene in school closures, the Supreme Court asked authorities to ensure that the compensation announced for construction workers affected by GRAP curbs actually reaches the beneficiaries and sought a report on the payments. ANI also reported that the court will resume hearing the larger air pollution matter on January 6.

(With ANI inputs)