Lok Sabha Question No. 1174 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-08
Subject: Burden of School bag
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1174 ANSWERED ON 08/12/2025

## Burden of School bag

†1174. Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of measures taken by the Government to reduce the burden of school bag of children under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020;
- (b) whether schools in the country have started implementing "bagless days' and whether any study has been conducted in this regard, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  fix  the  maximum  limit  of  school  bag weight and ensure the measurement of school bag weight from time to time; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (d)  National  Education  Policy  (NEP),  2020  in  para  4.33  aims  to  make  concerted efforts,  through  suitable  changes  in  curriculum  and  pedagogy,  with  the  support  of NCERT, SCERTs, schools,  and  educators  to  significantly  reduce  the  weight  of  school bags  and  textbooks.  National  Education  Policy  (NEP)  2020  also  recommends  that  all students will participate in a 10-day bagless period during Grades 6-8 where they intern with local experts such as carpenters, gardeners, potters, artists etc.

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.

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   | Table : Class wise range of average body weight of children   | Table : Class wise range of average body weight of children   | Table : Class wise range of average body weight of children   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| S.No.                                                         | Class                                                         | Average Body Weight Range (in Kg)                             | Bag Weight Range (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  National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 and ensure the implementation of the same.

In  pursuance  of  the  recommendation  on  bagless  days,  the  Government  in consultation with concerned stakeholders has developed guidelines for 10 bagless days, which have been launched on 29th July, 2024 on the occasion of 4th Anniversary of NEP 2020.  These  guidelines  aim  at  providing  children  of  classes  6-8  an  exposure  to  skill education using  experiential  learning  pedagogy  and  to  make  learning  at  schools  joyful and stress free. Under these guidelines, 'Bagless Days' are encouraged throughout the year  for  various  types  of  activities  involving  arts,  quizzes,  sports,  and  skills;  periodic exposure  to  activities  outside  school  through  visits  to  places/monuments  of  historical, cultural  and  tourist  importance;  Identification  of  Plants,  Trees  and  Birds  around  school; meeting local artists and craftsmen and visits to other institutions / educational institutions in  their  village/Tehsil/District/State  as  decided  by  States  and  local  communities  and  as mapped by local skilling needs.

****