The following guidelines are issued for implementation.
a. The school should design the timetable by taking the ‘School Bag Policy – 2020’ into consideration and ensure that they carry a minimum amount of weight to school.
b. Experiential learning, which is also recommended by the NEP-2020, can help students grasp concepts much faster than long hours of study. Project work plays a vital role in learning; students collect the materials in and around their surroundings so they do not need to carry books with them. The teacher should be encouraged to use these kinds of teaching methods.
c. No homework should be given for classes 1 & 2.
d. For classes 3 to 5 the workbooks are curriculum-based, students can write their homework directly on the pages of the workbooks and return it to teachers at school.
e. Homework should be given in such a way that it should not become
a burden for students to carry too many books for Classes 6 to 10.
f. Homework should be given on a daily basis by allotting particular days for each subject, which can reduce the number of books to be carried.
g. One notebook for mathematics and one notebook for other subjects are suggested in Primary Schools.
h. Allow the students to use long notebooks on both sides for two different subjects in High Schools.
i. The teachers should specify the subjects to teach in the class and see that they carry only the books that are required for that day. So that it will become a habit for the students to carry accordingly.
j. Semester-wise textbooks are only to be carried by the students in their bags. Once the assessment for Semester-I is completed, ensure that they carry only Semester-II books. However, SA-II will be in 2 semesters.
k. Wherever possible, the Head teacher / teachers should fnd a secure place to keep the books in boxes /shelves in the class room / school itself.
l. Teachers and students can utilise ICT integrated digital content rather than physical materials.
m.Wherever possible workbooks, assignments, dictionaries, reference books, practice materials etc., are to be kept in the school itself.
n. The teacher should not entertain / force the children to carry anything other than prescribed books to school.
o. From time to time, the Head Teacher and the respective teachers must ensure the school bag weight should not be more than the weight mentioned in the ‘School Bag Policy-2020’.