Ghaziabad switches to hybrid classes for younger students as air quality plummets

Ghaziabad's district administration has shifted to a hybrid model for primary classes, requiring students up to Class 5 to attend school on an alternating basis as severe air pollution grips the region. The measure, implemented under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), aims to limit children's exposure to hazardous air quality while maintaining educational continuity.

The decision affects both government and private schools across the district, with authorities directing institutions to split student attendance between in-person and online sessions. The hybrid arrangement is expected to remain in effect while air quality index readings remain in the "poor" category, a classification triggered when PM2.5 and PM10 levels exceed prescribed thresholds.

Accompanying the school restrictions, the district administration has extended a ban on all public and private construction and demolition activities through November 20. The prohibition covers earthmoving, material handling, and related activities that generate particulate matter and contribute to air pollution during the critical winter months.

Ghaziabad joins other cities across northern India implementing Stage 3 restrictions amid seasonal deterioration in air quality. Officials have advised parents and educational institutions to monitor air quality bulletins closely, with potential for further escalation in curbs if pollution levels worsen.