What is the School Bag Policy of India?

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : Mar 7, 2023, 11:30

The government of India has recently launched a campaign concerning students all over the country. It's common to see students carrying heavy bags to school. Extra textbooks, class notes, projects, and other materials increase the weight of the School Bag. It causes neck pain, back pain, bad posture, etc. Heavy bags continuously weigh down their shoulders that most are not strong enough to handle.

The official authorities intervened to save the kids from this burden in light of this recent information. A reform called The School Bag Policy of India 2020 has been implemented to check the standardise the maximum amount of the school bag weight.

School Bag Policy of India Significance

A circular issued by the Directorate of Education urges schools to follow their School Bag Policy of India 2020. The primary official body responsible for releasing this policy is the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

According to the circular, school teachers are responsible for informing their students in advance about the particular books and notebooks to be brought to school every day or on a specific day. It helps the children plan their backpacking schedule and instils some responsibility regarding their belongings.

Respective school teachers also must conduct frequent bag checking to ensure their students are not carrying unnecessary books or material. Additionally, the circular also mentioned that school teachers or faculty were accountable for checking the weight of school bags on a selected day for the whole class. This checking should be done every three months.

During the checking, if a student has crossed the limit set by the circular, then any information regarding the heavy school bag should be conveyed to their parents. Involving parents will ensure that the student doesn't carry irrelevant material and follow the weight limit mentioned in the School Bag Policy of India 2020.

Aim of the School Bag Policy of India

For quite some time now, students have suffered from the burden of exceeding homework and carrying heavy bags to school. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the Directorate of Education have acknowledged this issue and are taking tangible steps to resolve the problem. The School Bag Policy of India 2020, therefore, aims to rectify those issues.

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Facts About School Bag Policy of India

  • From Class I to X, the schoolbags should not weigh more than 10% of the total bodyweight of the students.
  • Pre-primary students should not carry bags to the school.
  • Until class II, the policy recommends the teachers not give homework to the students.
  • For children studying in classes III to V, the homework limit should be two hours per week.
  • For classes VI to VIII, the homework limit should be one hour per day. Similarly, classes IX and above should be two hours per day.
  • Schools should undergo infrastructural changes like lockers as students won't be able to carry several books daily.
  • Thin or light ones should replace heavy or thick books.

The School Bag Policy of India 2020 will help the students become more efficient while packing their bags and be more prepared for the day. With the help of the policy, the burden on their shoulders will be dramatically reduced.

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FAQs on School Bag Policy of India

Q1. Who released the School Bag Policy in India?

The NCERT released the School Bag Policy in India.

Q2. What infrastructural changes should be made according to the School Bag Policy of India?

According to the School Bag Policy of India, the school should provide lockers to the children.

Q3. What should be the bag limit for classes I to VII according to the School Bag Policy of India, 2020?

As per the School Bag Policy of India, 2020, the bag limit should be:

  • 1.6 to 2.2 kg for classes I to II
  • 1.7 to 2.5 kg for Classes III to V
  • 2 to 3 kg for classes VI & VII

Q4. What should be the bag limit for classes VIII to XII as per the School Bag Policy of India?

As per the School Bag Policy of India, 2020, the bag limit should be:

  • 2.5 to 4 kg for Class VIII
  • 2.5 to 4.5 kg for classes IX & X
  • 3.5 to 5 kg for classes XI & XII

Q5. When should the bags be checked according to the School Bag Policy of India?

The School Bag Policy of India states that the teachers should do the bag checking every three months.