"We are facing severe physical distress during exam season," the petition reportedly read.
Girls and women in India have demanded access to cooler accommodations amid sweltering temperatures and policy oversights. After female students petitioned officials to improve conditions in the government housing where many were staying while taking exams, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered 600 evaporative air coolers, according to the Times of India.
The regional outlet reported that around 100 hostel residents in Nagpur drafted a letter in late April, citing exposure to extreme heat and barriers to cooling systems. The students said standing policy prevented the installation of cooling units even as temperatures soared to nearly 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius). "We are facing severe physical distress during exam season," they wrote. According to The Live Nagpur, many had nowhere else to stay while completing their testing.
Student Akanksha Uke told the Times that the heat in the hostel brought about a "near-death state" but praised Fadnavis's actions to address the situation. The original policy prohibiting air cooler installation was established far from Nagpur, according to the minister's office. His office noted the policy was created without consideration for intensifying conditions, underscoring that "existing rules need relaxation."
As residents and officials identify insufficient policy and push for reforms to cope with the effects of the climate crisis, experts and advocates are recommending a range of potential solutions aimed at mitigating impacts.
For students like Uke and younger students too, those impacts can include difficulty learning and performing academically. Multiple studies have shown declines in cognitive task performance during periods of extreme heat. With this in mind, schools in India were recently directed to implement "water bells" — chimes to remind students to drink water during the day — and a buddy system in which children are paired up to monitor each other for signs of heat stroke.
Structural considerations are also important for mitigating high temperatures indoor. Completed in 2021, the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls' School in Rajasthan state uses passive cooling strategies — such as reflective sandstone exteriors, walls shaped for air flow, and canopies — to keep temperatures down without costly air conditioning.
Reports of calls for cooling at student hostels connected to the Indian Institutes of Technology have emerged from multiple regional outlets.
"At several campuses, students have started discussions around installing air conditioners or centralized cooling systems in hostels," according to the Jaipur-based Instant Engineering. "However, institutes face major challenges, including electricity infrastructure limitations, high energy costs, and sustainability concerns," underscored by risks of overloading strained power grids.
Kirsten Krueger contributed to the editing of this article.
Reproductive rights advocates in the U.S. stress that another type of medication abortion should still be accessible via telehealth even in the event of a ruling against the virtual prescription and mail delivery of mifepristone.
"We're excited about this," Ravi Thadhani, study lead author and Chief Medical Officer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, told Scientific American.
"Key measures include elevating foundations above expected flood levels, using stronger and water-resistant construction materials, reinforcing walls and roofing structures, and ensuring proper site selection away from high-risk zones," according to the organization.
Efforts to improve the resilience of mud-built homes are set to become increasingly critical as rising global temperatures fuel extreme weather.
