Hyderabad: The State Government on Tuesday issued guidelines limiting the number of textbooks required to be carried by students. The aim of this move is to reduce the loads carried by students of primary, upper primary and high schools in the state. The limit is three textbooks for classes I and II, six textbooks for classes VI and VII and seven textbooks for classes VIII to X. These limits only apply to schools following the state curriculum.
The GO issued by the Government also said that all schools following the state curriculum had to make use of textbooks prescribed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
At present, primary school students carry bags weighing 6 to 12 kg, and high school students carry 12 to 17 kg. This immense weight has a severe, adverse effect on the children. Apart from permanently damaging their vertebral columns and knees, it can also cause anxiety.
According to the GO, a survey was taken up in some districts to assess the load being carried by school students. Based on the results of the survey, an exercise was taken up to calculate the ideal school bag load and formulate a policy on homework and assignments.
Students of classes I to V are not supposed to be given any homework. Exercises at the end of each lesson are to be completed during school hours, under the supervision of teachers.
Based on the guidelines issued, the load carried, including textbooks, notebooks and the weight of the empty school bag, should not exceed 4 kg for students of classes VI and VII, 4.5 kg for students of classes VIII and IX, and 5 kg for students of class X.
The guidelines also state that there should only be one 100 page notebook for each subject, to record Formative Assessment items such as textbook exercises, projects, and tests. Students will not be required to carry these notebooks to school every day.
In 2016, the CBSE board had released guidelines which included measures to reduce the weight of school bags of students studying in CBSE-affiliated schools. It had said that the students of classes I and II were not to be given any homework, and they did not have to bring carry their school bags every day.
It had also directed schools not to prescribe too many additional books and supplementary textbooks which not only made school bags heavy but were also costly and designed in a pedagogically unsound manner.
