Air Quality Panel Tells Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP to Avoid Scheduling School Sports in November-December
CAQM has advised Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to avoid scheduling physical school sports and competitions in November and December 2026, citing air quality concerns.
School sports competitions in Delhi-NCR and neighbouring states could face another winter of disruption, with the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) advising four governments to keep physical sports activities and competitions off the calendar during November and December 2026.
The advisory covers Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Authorities have been told to factor in the air quality trends prevailing in the area where an event is to be held, and to reschedule competitions that have already been fixed.
Schools and the concerned authorities have also been asked to ensure that students who are unable to take part because of such changes are not unduly disadvantaged.
Why the panel stepped in
The latest advisory carries forward concerns raised by the Supreme Court last year over children participating in physical sports competitions during periods of poor and severe air quality.
On November 19, 2025, the court asked CAQM to issue appropriate directions to schools in Delhi-NCR to postpone sports and games competitions scheduled for November and December, pointing to the potential adverse health effects on children.
CAQM held an urgent consultative meeting the same day with representatives from the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education, the Delhi and NCR state governments, the Sports Authority of India, NCR pollution control boards and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
Following that meeting, the panel asked the four governments to take appropriate action so that physical sports competitions scheduled for November and December could be postponed, depending on air quality trends at the event location.
What the new advisory means
The 2026 advisory extends that concern into another winter season. For competitions already on the calendar, rescheduling remains an option, and the governments can also explore alternative opportunities for students to participate in similar activities at an appropriate time.
CAQM has said students should not be unduly disadvantaged because of the changes, and that their health and academic progress should not be compromised.
The advisory does not amount to a blanket cancellation of every school sports competition. Events already scheduled may be moved, and authorities have been asked to ensure that affected students do not lose out.
The decision will also hinge on air quality conditions at the location where an event is planned. For schools and sporting bodies, this can mean shifting physical competitions planned for November and December to a later period when conditions are more suitable.
The move comes ahead of the 2026 winter season, when Delhi-NCR typically sees a deterioration in air quality.