As Delhi’s air quality plummets to the “severe plus” category, schools across the city have shifted to online learning under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV) to safeguard students from hazardous pollution levels. However, this necessary move has highlighted and worsened the educational divide, particularly for children living in slum areas where access to digital resources is severely limited.
For many families in Delhi’s slums, the digital divide presents a formidable barrier. With minimal access to smartphones or reliable internet connections, numerous children are unable to participate in online classes, effectively leaving them behind.
Households that do have devices often rely on shared arrangements, leading to frequent disruptions and missed lessons. Even when devices are accessible, poor internet connectivity compounds the challenge, making it difficult for students to attend classes consistently or engage meaningfully with the curriculum.
The stark inequalities in digital access have turned online learning into a privilege rather than a solution, further marginalizing children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In these areas, education is increasingly becoming a casualty of both environmental and technological inequities.
This week, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) surpassed the hazardous threshold of 450, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to enforce GRAP-IV protocols, which include restrictions designed to curb pollution levels.
While these measures are crucial for public health and environmental management, they have unintended consequences for the city’s most vulnerable populations, especially children from low-income families.
The transition to online classes was intended as a short-term response to protect students from the harmful effects of severe air pollution. Yet, it has inadvertently deepened existing disparities in the education system.
Children in slums face insurmountable challenges in keeping up with their peers due to the lack of resources necessary for online education. This digital divide not only interrupts their learning but also threatens to widen long-term gaps in academic achievement and opportunities.
As Delhi grapples with the dual crises of pollution and educational inequity, addressing these systemic challenges requires urgent attention. Bridging the digital divide and ensuring access to education for underprivileged children must become a priority, alongside efforts to combat pollution and safeguard public health.
Without targeted interventions, the cycle of inequality will continue, disproportionately affecting those who are already most vulnerable.
