Schools across Maharashtra have been directed to ensure that students’ school bags do not weigh more than 10% of their body weight, as part of efforts to reduce the physical burden on children.
The directive was issued by the state school education commissioner on September 1 and applies to government, government-aided and private schools.
Schools have been asked to organise their daily timetables so that students are required to carry only the textbooks, notebooks and other learning materials needed for that particular day. The move is aimed at cutting down the amount of unnecessary material children carry to and from school.
The Maharashtra education department’s order follows guidelines issued by the Union Education Ministry on August 11 to address the issue of heavy school bags.
The central guidelines call for schools to regularly monitor the weight of students’ bags and spread awareness among children, parents and teachers about the potential health problems associated with carrying excessive weight.
For years, parents and education activists have raised concerns over the growing weight of school bags. Students, especially those in primary and middle school, often carry multiple textbooks, notebooks, workbooks and other classroom materials every day.
The latest direction also refers to the School Bag Policy 2020, under which schools are expected to conduct regular physical checks of school bags and put systems in place to manage their weight.
Schools that fail to comply with the government’s instructions could face action, including possible penalties affecting government grants. In serious cases, institutions could even risk derecognition.
The state’s latest move is intended to ensure that students carry only the material they actually need, while encouraging schools to take greater responsibility for preventing unnecessarily heavy school bags.
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