Schools across the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) were facing likely closure or a shift to online learning on January 19, 2026, following the immediate enforcement of the stringent Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). This decision came as the region's Air Quality Index (AQI) plunged into the 'severe plus' category, with Delhi's AQI reaching 428 by Saturday night, January 17, 2026, after initially bordering the 'severe' level at 400 earlier in the day. Under GRAP Stage IV, state governments possess the authority to suspend in-person physical classes and direct educational institutions to adopt online or hybrid learning models to safeguard students from hazardous air conditions. While the article from The Indian Express, published on January 18, 2026, indicated that schools were "likely shut" or "may shift" to online mode, it also accurately noted that as of its publication, there was "no official confirmation on school closures for Monday, January 19" for all schools. However, several other credible news outlets, including Daily Jagran, India Today, and Oneindia, corroborated the strong likelihood of closures and reported that some private schools in Noida and Gurugram had already announced online classes for the day. The move to reassess school operations was further prompted by prevailing severe cold wave conditions that had already led to school closures earlier in the week, with many institutions scheduled to reopen around January 16. The combined threat of extreme cold and dangerously high pollution levels necessitated immediate action to protect students' health. Authorities were closely monitoring the situation, and parents were advised to await further official announcements from their respective school administrations or district authorities. Besides school closures, GRAP Stage IV also entails other strict anti-pollution measures, such as a ban on the entry of non-essential trucks into Delhi and a halt on construction and demolition activities.