MHRD mandates less bag weight for students of class 1 to 10; no extra material and books to be carried

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 26: The Ministry of Human Resource Development(MHRD) has directed the state education bodies to evaluate their teaching system as well as weight of school bags through prescribed guidelines. The letter published by the MHRD, asks the States and Union Territories to moderate the weight of bags that schools can allow students to carry for their classes.

While other states are yet to follow the Centre's directive, Lakshadweep has already published a instruction manual for schools with guidelines regarding homework, teaching methods and school bags' weight. According to reports, Karnataka, too, is mulling a similar set of guidelines. However, the state has not yet released any official statement on the same.

As per the guidelines of Lakshadweep, students of classes 1 and 2 would not be asked to do any homework. For class 1 and 2, schools are only to prescribe Language and Mathematics subjects and Language, Environmental Science and Mathematics would be prescribed by NCERT for classes 3 to 5.

In the case of school bags' weight, the limit id 1.5 kg for students of class 1 and 2. For students of class 3 to 5, the weight limit is 2 to 3kg; 4kg for class 6 to 7. For 8 and 9 it is 5.5kg and that for class 10 the limit is 5kg.