Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 4: In a news that brings cheers to thousands of children studying in government, aided and unaided educational institutions in the state, the department of primary and secondary education, on Friday May 3, issued guidelines about the maximum weight of bags that can be carried by students to schools.

As per the instructions issued, the weight of the school bags should not be more than ten percent of the body weight of the individual students. The schools cannot prescribe home work for first and second standard students. The department of public instructions has been asked to observe third Saturday of every month as 'No Bag Day'. On these days, the schools should involve students in educational and cultural activities which do not need text books and other equipment. Things like science experiments and shows, general knowledge, activities of study club, painting, colouring of pictures, devotional songs, patriotic songs, maps, sports, fun mathematics, abacus etc depending on the environment in schools can be undertaken on these days.

The government's move, which will be implemented from the current academic year itself, is based on a pilot study undertaken by the Centre for Child and Law, and National Law School of India University in various schools. The government also had obtained opinions from expert orthopedics in the matter. The directions now issued are also partly based on a report submitted by an expert committee appointed for the purpose headed by Dr V P Niranjanaradhya. It is said that the recommendation to reduce weight of school bags was pending with the government for over two years.

Dr Niranjanaradhya has congratulated the government for its initiative on implementing his recommendations. He feels that the weight of bags can be reduced considerably if arrangement to provide clean drinking water to all the students is made at the schools.  

The schools have been asked not to prescribe note books which have more than 100 pages, and to encourage students to use light weight, low cost bags and other equipment which are durable.

The government circular says that students in first and second standards can carry 1.5 to two kg weight, 3rd to fifth standard can carry two to three kg, sixth to eighth standards can carry three to four kg, and nine and tenth students can carry four to five kg.