Bengaluru: In a major relief to students of Class 1 to 10, the Department of School Education and Literacy has issued an order capping the weight of School bags. The order is applicable for Government Schools, Aided and Unaided Private Schools, who should compulsorily abide by the regulations.

According to the order issued from the Office of Commissioner, Department of Public Instructions, the weight of School bag for the students of Class 1 to 2 has been fixed at 1.2 kg to 2 kg, Class 3 to 5 at 2 to 3 kg, Class 6 to 8 at 3 kg to 4 kg and Class 9 to 10 at 4 kg to 5 kg.

The Department has also instructed the institutions to give impetus to the students to learn through various activities at Schools, as Class 1 to 2 are considered as foundation level for students. They should not be given homework, adds the instructions of the Department.

For Class 1 to 5, no other syllabus should be followed other than languages, Mathematics and Environmental Science. For students of Class 3 to 10, more learning activities should be organised to strengthen them. The home work should be given only for related activities on requirement.

To avoid students carrying more books, a time-table should be prepared and classes be conducted as per the time-table. The practice sheets should be collected at the School itself and dictionaries, atlas, analytical science and general knowledge encyclopaedia among other learning materials should be made available at the library. The children should make use of these learning materials                                  on requirement.

The note books should be of 100 to 200 pages only. The children should be encouraged to use only light and long lasting School bags and learning materials of lesser cost. To avoid children carrying water bottle, drinking water should be arranged at School. Awareness about the ills of carrying heavy bags should be created among parents too. Those teachers and Schools violating the norms will have to face action, the Department has warned in its order.