J&K govt amends SE Rules, 2010; new school bag weight norms introduced; private schools to lose recognition for non compliance

7 April 2023

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Srinagar, April 7: Jammu & Kashmir government has issued new instructions to schools for reducing the weight of children’s school bags in the light of the amendments made in the Rule 8A of J&K School Education Act, Rules 2002 and School Bag Policy 2020.

These rules were originally amended on April 15, 2020, however, the government is now determined to enforce their compliance by schools, with severe consequences for those schools who may fail to comply.

According to a circular issued on Friday by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir, a copy of which has been shared with Ziraat Times, Director School Education, Kashmir, has noted that, “Whereas, in compliance to the directions passed in a Public Interest Litigation, School Education Department had made the amendment to J&K School Education Act 2002 by inserting Rule 8A, which mandates School Heads to regulate weight of school bags and mandated Government to cancel affiliation and recognition of the school violating provisions of Rule 8A; and

Whereas, in this regard School Education Department on 15 April, 2020 vide No: Edu/L/K/ 86/2016 dated 15.04.2020 issued S.O 126 in exercise of the powers conferred by section 29 of the J&K School Education Act, 2002 in light of PIL No. 09/2016 titled” Badrul Duja vs State of JK”, the Government made the following amendments in J&K School Education Rules, 2010; namely:

1. After Rule 8, the following rule shall be added as Rule 8A; Duty of School Head to ensure that.-

i) No homework is assigned to students of classes up to 2nd standard.

ii) No formal books are prescribed at Pre-primary (Nursery, LKG, UKG) levels. However, student of these classes may be provided maximum two notebooks/work books to be kept in the teacher’s custody in the school itself;

iii) Students of Pre-primary level are not asked to carry any bag except light carrier for Lunch box;

iv) No Schools should prescribe any other subjects except;

(a) Language and Arithmetic for class 1st & 2nd;

(b) Language, Environmental Science (EVS)& Arithmetic for class 3rd to 5th; and

(c) Language, Social Science, Mathematics and Science for class 6th and 7th, or as prescribed by the affiliating authority.

v) Students shall not be asked to bring additional books and extra material to school. In any case, the weight of the school bag should not exceed the following limit(including Bag weight and other material):

2. School Education Department shall issue detailed guidelines and direction from time to time regulating the weight of the school bags;

3. The Government may cancel affiliation and recognition of the school violating the provisions of the rule 8A (1); and

4. The School Education Department shall issue academic calendar every year for the schools affiliated with JKBOSE /Government, which shall be followed by all the concerned schools. “and

Whereas, it has been brought to our knowledge that its implementation is not seen on ground level as most the schools flout norms as envisaged in Rule 8A of J&K School Education Act 2002; and

Whereas, the Department of School Education & Literacy GOI has rolled down School Bag Policy, 2020 in consonance with judgement of Madras High Court dated: 19.05.2018 in WP No. 25680 of 2017 titled “M. Purushothanan Vs Union of India “wherein Union of India interalia was directed to frame a policy on children school bag as on the lines of “Children School Bags (Limitation on weight) Bill, 2016”; and

Whereas, the School Bag Policy 2020 is a comprehensive guideline on School Bag Weight and includes following advisory:

“The school bag is a common cause of backache in school-going children. A heavy bag may cause a child to compensate by leaning his body forward and this can strain muscles in his neck, shoulders and back. The child may also find it difficult to put the bag on and take it off, or he falls frequently in school while carrying his schoolbag” (R. Avantika, et al, 2013); and Whereas, some relevant Recommendations of the School Bag Policy 2020 are reproduced below:

A) Regular Checking of School Bag weight in the school.

B) Time Table: Timetable should be framed in such a way that for each day of the week the bag weight should not alter as per the given table. C) Note Books:

• Single notebook need to be used for Classes I and II for class work only.

Two note books for class work and homework for Classes III-V. At a time only one notebook shall be allowed in a child’s bag, the second one will be kept in school.

For Classes VI-VIII, one file with loose paper need to be used for class work and homework. Systematic use of files with loose sheets need to be promoted from Class VI onwards, Students need to be taught on how to use ‘filing’ in an efficient and intelligent way so that loose sheets do not become lost sheets.

Files and thin exercise-books should be preferred to thick ones. From primary stage, students should be given systematic training in proper use of school files and homework filing systems.

D) School Diary:

School Diary or Almanac also adds to the weight of school bag. This needs to be avoided or made thinner as it remains mostly empty. If teacher wants to inform parents about the child, they may either use mobile, email or back pages of the child’s notebook or any digital platform whatever is feasible.

Whereas, in this regard a circular was issued from this Directorate vide No: DSEK/CEW/Circular/22/2997-3006 Dated 25-05-2022 for enforcing the guidelines of School bag Policy, 2020 for maintaining of School bag Weight & all Deputy Commissioners were requested vide No. DSEK/CEW/Circular/135-44 Dated:- 10-06-2022 to direct the Executive magistrates at different levels to enforce the circular instructions but school heads seem not following the standards set by the Government.

Now, therefore, all the School Heads (Government as well as Private) are hereby once again directed to strictly adhere to the S.O 126 issued by School Education Department on 15 April, 2020 vide No: Edu/L/K/ 86/2016 dated 15.04.2020 enforcing Rule 8A of J&K School Education Rules, 2010 and revised guidelines of School Bag Policy, 2020 issued by Department of School Education and Literacy Ministry of Education, Government of India for reducing of School bag weight and recommendations of books thereof. Any dereliction on part of any Government or Private School shall be viewed seriously and shall invite the action as envisaged in Rule 8A clause (3).