Mock Drills Across Delhi Schools: Students Practice Emergency Preparedness Amid Rising Tensions

When the siren echoed through the corridors of Amity International School in Saket on Wednesday morning, nearly 2,000 students quickly dropped under their desks, covering their heads with their bags. Their voices were hushed, and their hearts raced as they followed the drill.

Amity was one of 500 schools across Delhi that participated in the mock drills, organized in response to the heightened tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier directed states and union territories to conduct such drills to ensure readiness for potential crises amid escalating India-Pakistan relations.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) coordinated the drills across the city’s schools on Wednesday.

Drill Implementation at Amity International School

By 7:40 am, students at Amity gathered for a special assembly where Principal Divya Bhatia provided a briefing. Around 200 teachers conducted thorough checks throughout the four-storey school building, following a well-practiced routine. Washrooms and staff rooms were cleared as part of the drill.

“There is a standard operating procedure (SOP) we follow,” said Sumedh, a teacher at the school. “Detailed, floor-wise instructions were given by the Principal, and instruction handouts were distributed to every student during the assembly.”

While the drill was serious in nature, younger students were seen experiencing some playful confusion. “For some, it felt like a game of hide and seek, but a few others were scared, so their class teachers made sure they were comforted,” added Sumedh.

Support and Preparedness After the Drill

Following the evacuation, a Class 5 student appeared overwhelmed and teary-eyed, unsure of where to go. But senior students, especially a team of about 100 members from the Student Council, were quick to step in. Vandita Sharma, a Class 11 student and Additional General Secretary of the Student Council, comforted him. “He was just scared and confused,” she said, adding, “We’ve gone through these drills before, but for them, it’s all still new. Helping them feel safe is part of our responsibility, too. The best part is that these drills have prepared us for any future situation.”

Increased Awareness Across Schools

Reflecting on the significance of the drill, Sumedh remarked, “In my lifetime, I have never seen drills for war preparedness like this.”

The operation was executed with precision and clarity, guided by the comprehensive instructions from the Principal. Principal Bhatia emphasized that the drill reinforced a culture of alertness, resilience, and coordinated response among all students and staff.

Another principal from a prominent private school noted that their mock drills were conducted “successfully” and that staff had received additional emergency preparedness training. “This kind of training is vital not only for situations like this but also for natural disasters such as fires or earthquakes,” the principal said. Many private schools in the city also have disaster management teams to handle such events.