NCERT says no heavy bags, only 2 textbooks till class II

INDORE: National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), in a reply to RTI over loading children with heavy schools bags, claimed to have prescribed only two text books for class I and II while three books for students from class III to V.

RTI activist Rajendra Gupta sought guidelines, if any, on the weight of school bags from NCERT. NCERT in its reply mentioned that National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 had advocated for reducing the weight of school bags. "Suggestions have been sent to all government and private schools," reads NCERT reply. Also, the activist had wrote a letter to PMO and human resource ministry apprising them about harmful effects of heavily loading children with school bags.

Highlighting the syllabus in RTI reply, the NCERT had categorically mentioned only two text books English and maths were prescribed for students of class I and II, while an additional book on environment was prescribed for students of class III to V. So there are only three books for the students up to class V.

Principal of Advanced Academy Manoj Bajpai said guidelines of NCF, 2005 is only for Central Schools. Nevertheless all schools follow it. "Books of students from nursery to Class II is kept in school so they do not need to carry heavy bags, in class III to V school teaches subjects like english, hindi, math and environmental science along with computers," said Bajpai adding that schools are concerned about the health of the children.

However, Gupta claimed that schools flout norms blatantly. "They frame their own syllabus and add as many subjects as possible, besides the three subjects prescribed by NCERT, in the name of optional subjects. He added that most of the children of private schools are forced to carry heavy school bags.