Over 500 schools take part in mock drills across Delhi: ‘For many children, it felt like a game of hide and seek'
When the siren blared across the corridors of Amity International School in Saket on Wednesday morning, nearly 2,000 students responded instantly, taking cover under desks with bags over their heads — their voices hushed and hearts racing.
Amity International School was one of the 500 schools in Delhi where the mock drill was undertaken in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of Home Affairs earlier this week directed states and union territories to hold mock drills and ensure readiness to tackle tense situations amid India-Pakistan tensions.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) coordinated the implementation across the city schools on Wednesday.
By 7.40 am, the students at Amity gathered for a special assembly where Principal Divya Bhatia briefed them. Around 200 teachers conducted checks at every floor of the four-storey building, clearing out washrooms and staff rooms, following a well-rehearsed routine.
'There is an SOP we follow — detailed, floor-wise instructions were given by the Principal,' said Sumedh, a teacher. Instruction manual handouts were also given to every student in the morning assembly.
Despite the seriousness of the drill, playful confusion was seen among younger students. 'For some of them, it felt like a game of hide and seek…but a few others got scared, so they were taken care of by their class teachers,' Sumedh added.
After the evacuation, a Class 5 student was teary-eyed, overwhelmed, and unsure where to go. But senior students, especially a hundred-member team of the Students Council, were alert. Vandita Sharma, a Class 11 student and Additional General Secretary of the Student Council, stepped in to comfort him. 'He was just scared and confused,' she later said, adding, 'We've been through drills before, but for them, it's all still new. Helping them feel safe is part of our responsibility, too. The best thing is that the drills have prepared us for the future.'
'In my lifetime… I have not seen such drills for war preparedness,' said Sumedh.
The operation was executed with clarity and precision, guided by comprehensive instructions laid out by the Principal, the school authorities said on Wednesday. 'The activity reinforced a culture of alertness, resilience, and coordinated response among all students and staff,' said Principal Bhatia.
Another principal of a prominent private school said that mock drills were conducted 'successfully' in the school and training provided to the staff as well for emergency preparedness. The training could help for natural disasters like fire and earthquakes, as well, the principal added.
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