As the winter vacation comes to an end, schools in Delhi reopened today with rescheduled timings due to prevailing foggy and intense cold wave conditions.
An official circular issued on Sunday states, "All students of Delhi government, government-aided, and recognised private schools, including Nursery, KG, and Primary classes, shall return to physical classes from January 15".
Taking precautions amidst the prevailing foggy conditions, the circular stated that no school, including double-shift schools, will start before 9am and classes should not extend beyond 5pm until further directions.
The circular also directs the Head of Student Services (HoSs) to inform all students, parents, and staff in advance through SMS, phone calls, SMC, and other suitable means of communication.
Furthermore, the education department of the Delhi Municipal Corporation has issued a notification outlining the revised schedules for various school shifts. The regular shift now runs from 9 am to 1 pm, the morning shift from 9am to 12.30pm, and the evening shift from 1 pm to 5pm. The decision about reopening schools follows the extension of the winter vacation for primary class students from January 6 to January 12, prompted by the severe cold wave conditions prevailing in the city.
Delhi experienced its fourth consecutive day of a cold wave on Monday, with the temperature at Safdarjung dropping to 3.3 degrees Celsius. This marked the coldest morning of the season, with the mercury falling four degrees below the normal range. Weather authorities observed a dense layer of fog in various areas of the city. The previous day, Sunday, had recorded a minimum temperature of 3.5 degrees Celsius.