Bihar directs schools to follow NCERT rules on heavy school bags

The Bihar Education Department has directed private and government-aided schools across the state to strictly implement the NCERT School Bag Policy, 2020, capping the weight of students’ school bags at 10% of their body weight.

Under the new instructions, schools have also been asked to install weighing machines on campus to regularly monitor the weight of school bags. Officials warned that private schools violating the norms could face action.

The directive follows growing concerns over the physical strain caused by heavy school bags on children.

The School Bag Policy introduced by the Ministry of Education applies to students from pre-primary to Class 12 and includes measures such as limiting bag weight, discouraging homework for younger children, and encouraging schools to provide lockers and clean drinking water facilities.

Bihar Education Minister Mithlesh Tiwari said, “All private and government-aided schools in the state will have to follow the NCERT School Bag Policy, 2020, and ensure that the weight of a school bag does not exceed 10% of the child's body weight. The move is aimed at reducing the physical burden on students.”

Tiwari said schools must regularly monitor bag weights and prepare timetables in a way that prevents students from carrying unnecessary books and materials every day.

"The CM recently warned private schools against arbitrary and unjustified fee hikes and said strict action will be taken against those found violating the rules," Tiwari added.

The minister emphasized that children’s health and mental well-being are closely linked to their academic and personal development.

"Therefore, it needs to be made mandatory that every school, irrespective of its management, ensures the implementation of the school bag policy for the betterment of our children. Health, physical education, and arts education are the areas that help in the all-round development of children. These need to be given adequate space in the timetable," he said.

According to NCERT guidelines, schools must make school bag weight checks a regular practice by maintaining functional weighing machines on campus.

"For Classes 1 to 5, teachers must take the responsibility of randomly checking the weight of school bags every three months on a day selected for the whole class," the policy stated.

"Information about heavy bags needs to be communicated to the parents of the child, and the bag needs to be monitored for a week or two to ensure that the child starts carrying a lighter bag," the guidelines added.