Parliament Question: Burden of School Children's Bags

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3682 ANSWERED ON 16/03/2026 Burden of School Children's Bags †3682. Shri Arun Govil: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government proposes to consult an expert committee to determine the maximum weight of school bags for small children, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether an excessive school bag load have an adverse effect on children's health; and (c) if so, the details thereof along with the manner in which the burden of school bags on children be reduced? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) to (c): Policy on School Bag was formulated by Expert Committee comprising of members from National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)and released by NCERT in 2020. The Ministry of Education has circulated the Policy across the States and UTs vide its letter dated 24th November 2020. An excessive school bag load has an adverse effect on children’s health. Therefore, the Expert Group has made following recommendations for the reduction of weight of school bag including recommendations on homework and number of subjects offered: (i) Based on research studies conducted in this area, recommendations of international agencies about the standard weight of school bag, guidelines issued by the state of Maharashtra and also the survey conducted by the Committee, it is recommended to follow universally accepted ratio of weight for school bag as 10 per cent of the body weight of the student across Classes I to X. (ii) Weight of school bag needs to be monitored and checked on a regular basis in the school. For this, every school needs to keep a digital weighing machine in the school premises.(iii) School bag needs to be light-weight with proper compartments and contain two padded and adjustable straps that can be squarely fit on both the shoulders. Wheeled carriers should not be allowed as it may hurt children while climbing stairs. (iv) Schools need to ensure that the facilities which are mandated for schools to provide, such as, mid-day meals, etc., are adequate and of good quality so that children are not carrying items, such as, lunch box. (v) It shall be the duty and responsibility of school management to provide good quality potable water in sufficient quantity accessible to all the students in the school to avoid carrying water bottle in school bag or reduce its size. (vi) The school or class time table needs to be made flexible providing adequate space for sports and physical education, reading of books available in school other than textbooks, arts and crafts, etc. (vii) For selecting a textbook for children, the criterion of weight should be taken into consideration. Weight of each textbook may be printed on the textbook by the publishers, along with the Grams per Square Meter (GSM). (viii) Children with Special Needs (CWSN) can be provided double set of textbooks, through book banks in schools. (ix) Lockers in classes may be installed for students with disabilities for storing and retrieving books and other items. (x) School Bag Awareness Programme needs to be held in the beginning of every academic session, wherein parents and students would get orientation on this issue. Class-wise range for ratio for school bag as 10 per cent of the body weight as suggested in School Bag Policy is given below : Table: Class wise range of average body weight of children S. Class Average Body Weight Bag Weight Range No. Range (in Kg) (Recommended In Kg) 1 Pre-primary 10-16 No bag 2 Class I 16-22 1.6-2.2 3 Class II 16-22 1.6-2.2 4 Class III 17-25 1-7-2.5 5 Class IV 17-25 1-7-2.5 6 Class V 17-25 1-7-2.5 7 Class VI 20-30 2-3 8 Class VII 20-30 2-3 9 Class VIII 25-40 2.5-4 10 Class IX 25-45 2.5-4.5 11 Class X 25-45 2.5-4.5 12 Class XI 35-50 3.5-5 13 Class XII 35-50 3.5-5 Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution of India. States & UTs have been advised to adopt relevant suggestions of the School Bag Policy and ensure the implementation of the same. *****