HRD Ministry Decides to Reduce Burden of Bags on Students’ Shoulders

Mindful of the physical burden students have to bear each day in carrying heavy school bags, the Union HRD Minister, Prakash Javadekar declared that the ministry is working on new norms for CBSE schools to reduce the burden of bags on students.

He is quoted to have said at an event where several school students were present: “I am going to reduce the weight of schoolbags […] carrying heavy bags is not necessary. It will definitely happen. We are preparing norms for CBSE schools that bundles of books and notebooks do not have to be needlessly carried.”

CBSE already has some student-friendly rules in place. Students upto class II are not required to bring schoolbags; upto class VII, the number of books have been reduced. The ministry is working further on making such rules more comprehensive, broad-based and effective.

Students, hopefully, will soon benefit from this thoughtful move. Presently the textbooks and notebooks together make carrying the schoolbags a tiresome affair for students. This laudable declaration, therefore, is sure to be well received by all stakeholders of school as it lies in the interests of the students.