NEW DELHI: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Monday ordered that state governments in the Delhi-NCR ensure that all classes up to 12th standard are conducted in a “hybrid” mode.
While speaking to university students in New Delhi, The New Indian’s team found that many students are not in favour of the online switch. At North Campus, a student, Divya, said, “Poor AQI and air pollution are affecting education. We saw during COVID-19 times that online education is not that fruitful.”
Another student, Yash from the Law Faculty, said, “Teachers are not well-equipped or well-versed with online tools of education. Our syllabus is being impacted because of that. Many things need to be taught practically and in offline mode only.”
Many students also voiced concerns for their health. Isha from the JD Institute of Fashion and Technology said, “I think the government’s measures, including shutting the schools, are good as health should be the priority. If health isn’t good, how will students be able to focus on their studies?”
Another student pursuing an MBA said, “We just had our freshers, and now the colleges are shut. We have no clue what the administrators’ plans are. We are enjoying the holidays, but it should not persist for long, and the pollution and bad AQI should improve soon.”
Given Delhi’s poor air quality, which had plummeted to “severe” levels, the top court refused to relax the anti-pollution GRAP-4 restrictions in Delhi-NCR and said that unless it was satisfied that there was a consistent decrease in AQI levels, it could not order curbs below GRAP-3 or GRAP-2.
Schools have suggested wearing masks and minimizing outdoor activities for students, among other measures, to avoid any health risks linked to air pollution.
When asked about the measures they were taking, students said, “We are currently not using anything, as there is still a lack of awareness about how severe the impact of poor air quality and air pollution can be.”