The expert committee recommendations on the weight of school bags released in the MHRD order No. 1-4/2018-IS-3 dated 24 November 2020 as follows…
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Minimum School Bag Weight is 1.6 kg and Maximum School Bag Weight is 5 kg
Bodyweight and weight of school bag
The suggestive table for class-wise range for ratio for school bag as 10 percent of the bodyweight is given below.
Class wise range of average body weight of children
S. No. | Class | Average Body Weight Range (in Kg) | Bag Weight Range (Recommended) | ||
1. | Pre-primary | 10 | 16 | No bag | |
2. | Class I | 16 | 22 | 1.6 | 2.2 |
3. | Class II | 16 | 22 | 1.6 | 2.2 |
4. | Class III | 17 | 25 | 1-7 | 2.5 |
5. | Class IV | 17 | 25 | 1-7 | 2.5 |
6. | Class V | 17 | 25 | 1-7 | 2.5 |
7. | Class VI | 20 | 30 | 2 | 3 |
8. | Class VII | 20 | 30 | 2 | 3 |
9. | Class VIII | 25 | 40 | 2.5 | 4 |
10. | Class IX | 25 | 45 | 2.5 | 4.5 |
11. | Class X | 25 | 45 | 2.5 | 4.5 |
12. | Class XI | 35 | 50 | 3.5 | 5 |
13. | Class XII | 35 | 50 | 3.5 | 5 |
Are the school bags really heavy?
(i) In the survey, 48.8 per cent school heads said that they weigh the school bag of their children. Out of this, 19 per cent of school heads found from the weight of school bag for primary classes
(I-V) that the bags are heavy. It is generally found varying from 2 to 3.5 Kg, but two school heads said that it is varying from 3 to 5 Kg.
This means, children are carrying bags of weight 2 to 3 Kg more than the permissible weight i.e., 10 per cent of the body weight which is universally accepted. From Class VI, weight of the school bag further increases (from 3 to 6 Kg), which exceeds the internationally* accepted limit of 10 per cent of body weight. Items found contributing to excessive load were—
1. Textbooks- 500 gms to 3.5 Kg
2. Notebooks– 200 gms to 2.5 Kg
3. Lunch box 200 gms to 1 kg
4. Water bottle 200 gms to 1 Kg
The weight of the empty bag was also found to be varying from 150 gms to 1 Kg