The worsening air quality in Delhi after Diwali is beginning to disrupt normal academic activities, with several colleges affiliated with the University of Delhi (DU) shifting classes online and altering their schedules amid concerns over students’ and teachers’ exposure to polluted air.The impact of deteriorating air quality is particularly evident at Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, which explicitly cited the alarming rise in the Air Quality Index (AQI) across the National Capital Region (NCR) while announcing online classes for November 7 and 10.The college said the decision was taken in view of the latest directives issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Delhi Government under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).In its notice, the college said the “health and well-being of students and staff remain our highest priority”. It directed teachers to conduct online classes according to the regular timetable and made attendance mandatory.However, students scheduled to appear for class tests will still have to visit the campus, as the college has asked faculty members to conduct these tests offline on November 7 and 10. The campus remained closed on November 9.Other DU colleges have also revised their academic schedules around the Diwali break. Shaheed Bhagat Singh College announced that all classes scheduled for November 6, 7 and 10 would be conducted online. It also declared holidays on November 9 and 11.Bhagini Nivedita College shifted classes scheduled for November 7 and 10 to online mode, while the Institute of Home Economics announced that it would remain closed on November 9, with online classes to be conducted wherever required.