The Delhi Government informed the Delhi High Court on Monday that all Delhi State School Games (DSSG) events will be completed by October 2026, prior to the onset of the peak winter pollution months. The court recorded the government’s assurance and the revised sports calendar before disposing of a petition seeking to prohibit outdoor school sporting events during the high-pollution period.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma acknowledged a status affidavit filed by the Department of Education, accompanied by a fresh circular from its Sports Branch revising the DSSG schedule.
During the hearing, the Delhi Government stated, “We have filed an affidavit. We have also issued a fresh circular by the Department of Education for the Delhi State School Games. Your Lordship may kindly see that all games end in October 2026, which was the grievance of the petitioner.”
Following the government’s submission and the revised calendar, the court disposed of the petition, which was filed by a group of minor students.
The circular issued by the Directorate of Education (Sports Branch) indicates that the schedule for the Delhi State School Games was prepared considering factors such as the likely impact of air pollution during the winter, court directions, the academic calendar, the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) timetable, and other logistical issues.
It instructs Supervisors of Physical Education (SPEs) to complete zonal competitions well before state-level events and to submit details of qualified teams and players at least seven days prior to the commencement of respective competitions. All entries must be scrutinised and verified before submission.
The Directorate further mandates that teams and individual winners qualifying at the zonal level must participate in the Delhi State School Games, subject to eligibility conditions. It warns that non-compliance may result in action against the relevant Physical Education Teacher (PET) or Supervisor of Physical Education (SPE).
The petition had been filed by minor students requesting that the Delhi Government refrain from organising outdoor sporting events during winter months, given Delhi’s high air pollution levels during this period. The petitioners argued that outdoor sports in this season expose children to significant health risks.
The matter was earlier heard by Justice Sachin Datta, who observed that children should not be required to participate in outdoor sports during episodes of severe air pollution and directed authorities to revise the annual sports calendar accordingly. The revised schedule presented to the court was accepted as addressing the petitioners’ concerns.