NEW DELHI – The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued strong criticism against the Directorate of Education (DoE) for its perceived ‘inaction’ regarding the scheduling of outdoor school sports. The court’s intervention followed a plea from a group of school students demanding a ban on all outdoor sports tournaments and trials in the capital during the peak pollution months of November to January .
Justice Sachin Datta, leading the High Court proceedings, mandated that both the DoE and the School Federation of India Games (SFIG) must submit comprehensive status reports on the issue. The court noted the DoE appeared to neglect its responsibilities regarding student well-being amid severe air quality concerns.
Court Questions DoE’s Responsibility
During the hearing, the DoE’s counsel contended that the SFIG primarily set the sports calendar. The DoE indicated it would amend its schedule only if SFIG initiated changes. Justice Datta sharply rejected this position, stating directly, “You are shirking your responsibility.”
Justice Datta pressed further, asking, “Do you recognise that in the months of November to January, there is a problem and that children should not be subjected to outdoor activities? You recognise that.” The court underscored the undeniable health risks children face when engaged in strenuous physical activity during these months.
The judge then provided clear directives for future planning. He instructed authorities to schedule minimal or no outdoor sports fixtures during the high pollution period from November to January . Specifically for Delhi, he advised that the annual games calendar should commence immediately after the board examinations to avoid hazardous conditions.
The court acknowledged that this year’s events had concluded. However, it made clear that authorities must definitively revise and implement a new calendar from the next academic year onwards, prioritizing student health over traditional scheduling.
Students Highlight Severe Health Risks
The petition was lodged by 11 minor students , represented by their parents. These students actively participate in various state-scheduled sports tournaments, coaching camps, and trials both within Delhi and across India. Their plea centers on the critical health hazards associated with undertaking intense physical activity in Delhi’s highly polluted environment.
Petitioners stated Delhi faces an annual public health emergency each winter. Scheduling school, inter-zonal, state, and national sports events during this period creates major health issues for children. They argued authorities persist in conducting outdoor events when Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) is ‘Severe’ or ‘Hazardous’.
The plea states that compelling children, recognized as a particularly vulnerable population, to engage in strenuous exercise amidst toxic air violates their fundamental rights. Exposure can diminish lung growth, impair cognition, and cause acute cardiovascular strain in children.
Parallel Supreme Court Action
During the High Court proceedings, the petitioners’ counsel also brought to attention a parallel development in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to evaluate postponing open-air sports competitions in Delhi-NCR schools. It suggested rescheduling events from November and December to “safer months” with lower pollution.
Demand for Calendar Amendment
DoE’s counsel attempted to downplay the situation, asserting few sports are conducted outdoors. Petitioners’ lawyer refuted this, calling the authorities’ stance negligent. She reiterated the students’ core demand: to amend the annual sports calendar effectively from the upcoming academic year to entirely circumvent the peak pollution months.
The students’ petition specifically seeks a binding directive for both the DoE and SFIG. This directive would mandate scheduling all outdoor sports activities—including zonal, inter-zonal, state, and national tournaments, trials, and coaching camps—only during months with better ambient air quality. At the plea’s submission, Delhi operated under Grade Response Action Plan-III (GRAP-III) emergency measures, risking escalation to GRAP-IV. This underscored the critical need for immediate action.