Saved by the bell? How Delhi schools are battling the heatwave with a ‘water bell’

The heat is here, and it is too hot to handle. India's capital, Delhi, is certainly reeling under that intensifying summer heat. To beat the brutal heatwave, Delhi schools have been directed to ring the "water bell" every 45-60 minutes to remind students to drink water.

Last week, the temperature in Delhi and its large metropolitan area was 29.4°C, which felt mild or pleasantly warm compared to the usual intense heat. However, weather forecasters predict temperatures may hit 41 to 43 degrees later in the coming week.

What schools are doing to beat the heat? We take a look.

‘Water bells’ to beat the heat: What is it?

On April 21, as part of fresh precautionary measures, the Directorate of Education (DoE) issued guidelines for Delhi's government, aided, and private unaided recognised schools. The circular was issued under its ‘Beat the Heat’ initiative.

The circular directs schools to adopt practices such as a daily “hydration bell” to prompt students to drink water, ensure access to ORS and safe drinking water, and create shaded areas for rest. It also calls for "buddy system" practice for students.

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The DoE circular said, under the “hydration bell” or “water bell” system, schools are instructed to ring a bell every 45 to 60 minutes to remind students to drink water and avoid dehydration.

It also noted that outdoor assemblies should be reduced or shifted to shaded or indoor spaces with minimal duration, and that open-air classes should not be held.

The move came after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) cautioned of likely heatwave and adverse weather conditions in the capital in the coming days.

Schools have been urged to adopt natural cooling practices, integrate heat awareness into lessons, and encourage environmental responsibility through campaigns like ‘one child-one plant’

The circular also states that students must carry enough drinking water, and schools have been asked to ensure the availability of safe, cool drinking water at several accessible points.

Teachers are expected to serve as first responders in identifying early signs of heat stress, while awareness campaigns aim to educate students on prevention.

How are schools implementing guidelines against heat? 

“In line with the Delhi govt, all necessary precautionary measures are being taken in corporation schools, with the safety and health of children as the top priority," Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s education committee also released similar guidelines for its schools, Times of India (TOI) reported.

Education committee chairman Yogesh Verma noted that a nodal officer will be appointed in every school to closely monitor the implementation of these guidelines.

Meenu Kanwar, Amity International School principal, Mayur Vihar, said, "The school has moved all outdoor activities indoors, introduced a water bell system and is actively conducting awareness sessions on heat-related illnesses. A buddy system ensures that children look out for one another."

Sunita, a government school principal, also provided an update on similar guidelines, saying, "We have held awareness sessions in morning assembly." She mentioned that students have been constantly reminded to eat breakfast and stay hydrated.

Another government school in Rohini is also conducting awareness sessions regarding how to beat the heat. The school principal, Joginder Kumar, said creative activities like poster-making and debates have helped students better understand the risks of extreme.

How hot is it in India?

The heat in India is indeed getting too hot to handle. It is so hot that data from AQI.in, a real-time temperature tracker, shows that 98 of the world’s 100 hottest cities are in India, raising concerns about the impact of rising temperatures.

With an intense heatwave, the temperatures are already touching 42–45 degrees Celsius in several regions weeks before peak summer. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert for parts of northwest and central India on Sunday (April 26), warning that the scorching conditions are likely to remain for the next three days.

Data from the weather tracker AQI.in has also revealed that the world's hottest cities are in India. At the top of the charts are Rajgangpur and Balangir in Odisha, followed by Banda in Uttar Pradesh and Gohad in Madhya Pradesh.

Now, all these cities are recording extreme heat, 44 degrees Celsius. In South India, Adilabad in Telangana is scorching, with temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius.

With the nation's capital already struggling with intense heat, AQI.in recorded the temperature to be between 39 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius, and is expected to go beyond.

With inputs from agencies