New Delhi: Delhi continued to swelter on Thursday as the mercury crossed the 40-degrees Celsius mark, with the maximum temperature recorded at 40.7°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had on Tuesday issued a yellow alert for the next three days and forecast a rise in temperatures.
The scorching conditions have prompted the IMD to revise its heat alert, indicating that heatwave conditions are now expected on Friday and Saturday in the national capital. The Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued a series of emergency measures to shield students from growing thermal risks. It is mandatory for both government and private schools to follow.
The ‘Buddy System’ and the ‘Water Bell’
Beyond physical infrastructure, the DoE is attempting to foster a culture of peer-to-peer vigilance. Students are being paired under a new “buddy system”, tasked with monitoring one another for the subtle, early markers of heat exhaustion or dehydration.
To ensure this vigilance is backed by hydration, schools have implemented a “water bell” — a rhythmic reminder for the entire student body to drink. While campuses are now required to provide “cool and safe” water at multiple points, the burden of preparedness also falls on households. It is now mandatory for students to arrive with their own supply of water from home.
Heatwave forces suspension of outdoor activities
With temperatures reaching dangerous levels, a new official circular has been issued to overhaul the daily school routine. The directive prioritises student health by effectively moving the school day under shed. Outdoor morning assemblies must now be shortened and held exclusively in indoor halls or shaded areas, while the traditional practice of open air classes has been strictly prohibited until the heatwave subsides.
Teachers have been asked to regularly share IMD heatwave alerts with parents, while schools must ensure students are informed through notices and morning assemblies. Parents, in turn, have been advised to send children in light cotton clothing and reinforce hygiene practices, such as daily bathing.
Accountability and deadlines
This is not merely a set of suggestions. Every school has been ordered to appoint a Nodal Teacher who will be responsible for the “water bell” and the display of safety posters across school corridors. To ensure these directives aren’t ignored, schools must submit an “Action Taken Report” to zonal education authorities by May 2.