Implement School Bag Policy : Govt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 29 2026: The State Government has ordered strict implementation of the NCERT School Bag Policy 2020 across all Government, Government aided and private schools in the State.

According to the policy, the weight of a student's school bag should not exceed 10% of the student's body weight across all classes.

According to a directive issued by the Directorate of Education (S) on January 13, pre-primary students should not carry any school bags, while the recommended weight range of school bags for Classes I-II students is 1.6-2.2 kg; Classes III-V: 1.7-2.5 kg; Classes VI-VII: 2-3 kg; Class VIII- 2.5-4.0 kg; Classes IX-X: 2.5-4.5 kg and Classes XI-XII: 3.5-5.0 kg .

Additionally, it has instructed schools to prepare timetables that specify which books/notebooks are needed on each day to reduce unnecessary daily load.

Concerning the design and quality of the school bags, they should be lightweight with two padded, adjustable shoulder straps and adequate compartments for effective distribution of load.

Use of oversized or inappropriate wheeled bags (especially on stairs/uneven surfaces) has been discouraged to prevent injury.

The Directorate has further instructed schools to maintain a weighing scale at the premises and conduct regular checks to ensure compliance with weight limits.

Teachers should inform parents in writing if a student consistently carries an overweight bag and work jointly to reduce the load.

The class-wise weight chart should be prominently displayed on all school notice boards and classrooms to create awareness.

It is worth noting that the step to implement the NCERT School Bag Policy 2020 was taken up following concerns raised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) .

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