Delhi schools have begun restricting outdoor activities and advising students to wear masks as air pollution worsens with the onset of winter, with several institutions shifting assemblies, games and other activities indoors.
Schools are taking precautionary measures to reduce children’s exposure to polluted air. Outdoor prayer assemblies and sports activities have been stopped or limited at some institutions, while students have been advised to remain inside classrooms when necessary.
At National Victor Public School in Patparganj, outdoor activities have been suspended. The school has advised students to wear masks and remain inside classrooms when required, according to principal Veena Mishra. Parents have also been given guidance on precautions related to pollution. The school’s prayer assembly is currently being held indoors.
Indian School has equipped classrooms with air purifiers and indoor plants, while limiting outdoor activities. The measures are part of the school’s effort to reduce students’ exposure to polluted air during the deteriorating air-quality period.
At Mount Abu School in Rohini, principal Jyoti Arora said water is being sprinkled regularly on the school premises as a measure to control pollution. Students have also been advised to wear masks. The school is among the institutions adapting routine operations around outdoor air conditions.
Evergreen Public School in Vasundhara Enclave is monitoring the Air Quality Index regularly and has advised students to arrive wearing masks, principal Priyanka Gulati said. Water is being sprinkled on the sports ground to reduce dust. Gulati said the school was prioritising students’ health and safety in view of the pollution situation.
The measures vary from school to school, but they reflect a common operational response: reducing time spent outdoors, moving activities indoors and monitoring local air conditions. The steps also place a greater emphasis on classroom air quality, with some schools using air purifiers and indoor activities as alternatives to outdoor assemblies and sports.
The precautions extend beyond school premises. Advice to parents and students to use masks indicates that schools are treating exposure during travel and arrival as part of the wider health concern, although the report does not specify a common mask protocol or a citywide school directive.
The report also does not indicate that the schools have announced closures or changes to examination schedules. For now, the named institutions are continuing classes while adjusting assemblies, sports, ground maintenance and other outdoor activities according to pollution conditions.
Schools are expected to continue monitoring the Air Quality Index and reviewing outdoor activities as Delhi’s air quality remains a concern during the beginning of the winter season.
