Even after policy introduction, implementation of school bag weight regulations remains inconsistent across schools in Guwahati
For years, the issue of heavy school bags has remained a persistent concern for students, parents, doctors and educationists across India. While governments have repeatedly introduced guidelines and policies to reduce the burden on schoolchildren, the reality on the ground continues to tell a different story. Many students still walk into classrooms carrying backpacks that appear far heavier than what is considered safe for their age.
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The concern is not merely about discomfort. Medical experts have long warned that regularly carrying excessive weight can affect a child's posture, strain developing muscles and lead to long-term back, neck and shoulder problems. Parents often notice their children leaning forward while walking with their school bags, a posture that gradually becomes habitual. For many, this has become an accepted part of school life, despite years of discussions on making education more child-friendly.
Recognising these concerns, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 introduced the School Bag Policy as part of its broader vision to reform school education. The policy recommends that a student's school bag should not exceed 10 per cent of their body weight, ensuring that children are not physically burdened while pursuing their education.
These recommendations were intended to create a more child-centric education system where learning is prioritised over the physical burden of carrying excessive books.
However, the conversation around heavy school bags is not new.
Even before NEP 2020, the Assam government's Elementary Education Department had, in 2018, issued directions prescribing limits on the weight of school bags and educational materials carried by students.
The move came after growing concerns regarding the health implications of overloaded backpacks and aimed to encourage schools to adopt child-friendly academic practices.
Yet, despite these guidelines, implementation remained inconsistent.
The issue once again returned to public attention following renewed discussions and controversies during the middle of June this year. Responding to the growing concern, the Inspector of Schools, Kamrup (Metro) District, issued an official notification on June 11, directing all government, provincialised and private schools under the district to strictly comply with the government's guidelines on school bag weight.
The notification clearly prescribed the maximum permissible weight for school bags across different classes. Students of Classes I and II should not carry bags weighing more than 1.5 kilograms, while the limit has been fixed at 2 to 3 kilograms for Classes III to V. Students in Classes VI and VII should carry bags weighing no more than 4 kilograms, 4.5 kilograms for Classes VIII and IX, and 5 kilograms for Class X.
Beyond prescribing weight limits, schools were instructed to inform students in advance about the books required each day, ensure that children carry textbooks according to the daily timetable and encourage parents to purchase lightweight school bags with broad padded shoulder straps.
Heads of educational institutions were instructed to maintain records of implementation, while district-level inspection teams were tasked with conducting regular inspections. The order, marked "Most Urgent," warned that institutions failing to comply with the guidelines could face appropriate action.
Yet, weeks after the notification, the response from schools has been mixed.
Several parents say that while circulars have reached them, implementation has not matched the intent of the government's order.
A parent whose child studies at Don Bosco School said the school had circulated the notification outlining the new guidelines, but little had changed in practice. According to the parent, the school bags remain excessively heavy and children continue to struggle under their weight every day.
She observed that prolonged carrying of such heavy bags has visibly affected children's posture, with many developing a slouched stance while walking to and from school. The parent added that concerns regarding the issue had been raised by several parents in the past, but meaningful changes were yet to be seen. With schools reopening after the summer vacation, many parents are now hopeful that the administration will begin implementing the guidelines more seriously.
A parent from Gurukul Grammar Senior Secondary School shared a relatively different experience. According to them, the school issued its notification a few days after the government's order and introduced measures aimed at reducing the load. Students were instructed to keep textbooks of non-scholastic subjects within the school premises while carrying only a rough notebook to record additional classroom work.
Parents believe that while this may not completely eliminate the problem, it is a practical step towards reducing the daily burden on children.
At Sanskriti The Gurukul, parents say the school had already been following similar practices even before the recent government directive. According to them, the institution regularly displays information regarding the prescribed school bag weight and related guidelines on its digital notice boards, making students and parents aware of the recommended limits.
However, not all schools appear to have taken visible steps. According to parents, several private institutions, including St. Francis De Sales Higher Secondary School, SBOA Public School, Holy Child School, Maria's Public School, St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, and Don Bosco School, are yet to fully implement the measures envisioned under the guidelines.
Government schools, meanwhile, present a different perspective.
An official from New Guwahati Adarsha High School acknowledged the intent behind the government's notification but highlighted the practical challenges involved in keeping textbooks inside school campuses.
According to the school authority, if students leave all their textbooks at school, many may not be able to study effectively at home. The official explained that a significant number of parents are unable to academically support their children due to educational limitations. In such situations, textbooks remain an important learning resource outside school hours. The authority expressed concern that keeping books entirely in school could reduce students' seriousness towards studies and negatively affect their learning.
Instead, the school has adopted a balanced approach by instructing students to carry only the textbook relevant to the subjects scheduled for that day, thereby reducing unnecessary weight while ensuring learning is not compromised.
Other government institutions, including Gopinath Vidyapith and Kamrup Academy Higher Secondary School, are reportedly implementing the government's directions. However, education officials and parents acknowledge that uniform compliance across all schools remains a challenge.
The continuing gap between policy and implementation raises an important question. India has framed guidelines, revised policies and issued repeated instructions over the years to address the problem of heavy school bags. Yet, despite these initiatives, countless children continue to shoulder loads that exceed recommended limits.
For many students, the weight they carry every morning is not limited to textbooks alone. It represents an education system that often continues to rely on multiple books, notebooks, assignments and additional learning materials despite policy efforts to simplify classroom learning.
The consequences extend beyond tired shoulders. Heavy school bags can gradually alter a child's body posture, placing repeated stress on growing bones and muscles. What begins as a daily inconvenience may eventually develop into long-term musculoskeletal problems if ignored.
Ultimately, reducing school bag weight requires more than government notifications. It calls for coordinated action from school administrations, teachers, parents and policymakers. Effective timetable planning, digital learning resources where feasible, classroom storage facilities and strict adherence to prescribed textbook lists can together help translate policy into practice.
After years of policies, advisories and renewed promises, one question continues to linger, not only for educators and administrators, but for society as a whole: If education has become so heavy that a child struggles to carry it on their back every day, is that truly the kind of learning system we want to build?
