How Heavy Should a School Bag Be? Government Sets Clear Weight Limits for Every Class

New Delhi, December 15, 2025 — The long-standing concern over the excessive weight of school bags carried by children has once again come into focus, with the Union Government clearly outlining class-wise limits under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy aims to safeguard children’s physical health and reduce the burden of heavy school bags, especially for younger students.

According to Paragraph 4.33 of NEP 2020, institutions such as NCERT, SCERTs, schools, and teachers are required to work collectively to significantly reduce the weight of school bags. Following this, expert committees of CBSE, NCERT, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) formulated a comprehensive School Bag Policy, fixing maximum permissible bag weights for each class.

Class-wise School Bag Weight Limits

In a written reply to a question raised in the Lok Sabha by MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, the Ministry of Education clarified the recommended limits:

• Pre-Primary: No school bag required
• Classes 1–2: 1.6 to 2.2 kg
• Classes 3–5: 1.7 to 2.5 kg
• Classes 6–7: 2 to 3 kg
• Class 8: 2.5 to 4 kg
• Classes 9–10: 2.5 to 4.5 kg
• Classes 11–12: 3.5 to 5 kg

The policy further recommends that a school bag should not exceed 10% of a child’s body weight. However, experts note that compliance remains weak, particularly in private schools, resulting in increasing cases of back, shoulder, and posture-related problems among children.

Mandatory “Bagless Days” in Schools

To address the issue more holistically, the Ministry of Education has made it mandatory for all schools to include 10 “Bagless Days” in their annual academic calendars. Guidelines for this initiative were issued on July 29, 2024, particularly targeting students from Classes 6 to 8, though schools are encouraged to extend the practice further.

Schools may schedule these days in two phases of five days each during the academic year. During Bagless Days, students will engage in indoor and outdoor activities, vocational exposure, arts, sports, and interactions with professionals such as artists, sportspersons, graphic designers, animators, and fashion designers, ensuring learning without textbooks or heavy bags.

Concerns and Reactions

MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri stated that despite years of discussion, no serious action had been taken earlier to address the issue. “As a parent, I have personally seen small children struggling under the weight of heavy school bags. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NEP 2020 has finally fixed limits and introduced Bagless Days. This is a positive beginning, but strict monitoring is essential,” he said, alleging that some private schools collaborate with publishers for profit, ultimately burdening children.

Echoing similar concerns, Virendra Singh, President of the Delhi Parents Association, said that rising school bag weight has become a serious health issue. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of state education departments to strictly enforce central guidelines and curb arbitrary practices by schools.

The Road Ahead

While the policy framework is now in place, experts stress that effective implementation and regular monitoring are crucial. Parents, schools, and education authorities must work together to ensure that children’s health is not compromised in the pursuit of academics, and that the spirit of NEP 2020 is reflected in classrooms across the country.