New Delhi: Schools in Delhi are set to resume classes on Monday, November 20, following an improvement in the city's air quality from the 'severe' category to 'very poor,' media reports said.

The Directorate of Education issued a notice on Saturday, stating that outdoor activities and assemblies would remain suspended for an additional week.

Earlier, on November 8, the Delhi government had declared an early winter break for schools, spanning from November 9 to 18, in response to severe air pollution in the national capital.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) lifted anti-pollution measures under Stage-IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi and its surrounding areas on Saturday, as the air quality showed signs of improvement.

Both the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras forecast that there is no indication of a significant deterioration in the city's air quality.

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) for the city, measured at 4 pm daily, witnessed an improvement from 405 on Friday to 319 on Saturday. The AQI readings for the preceding days were 419 on Thursday, 401 on Wednesday, 397 on Tuesday, 358 on Monday, 218 on Sunday, 220 on Saturday, and 279 on Friday.

In neighbouring areas, Ghaziabad recorded an AQI of 276, Gurugram at 322, Greater Noida at 228, Noida at 265, and Faridabad at 309, all indicating "very poor" air quality.