Pollution risky for kids: SC declines to stop fully online school up to Class 5

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the Delhi government's decision to shift students up to Class 4 from a hybrid system to fully online classes, citing serious health risks posed by pollution to younger children and holding that such choices are best left to policymakers.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant lamented that despite repeated interventions, most measures taken so far to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR appeared to have “failed”. Given the extreme situation and the fact that the winter break for schools is imminent, the bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, said there was no reason to upset a “temporary arrangement”.