School Bag Policy fails to lighten load; students still carry heavy burden

Srinagar, Aug 31: Although the government implemented the School Bag Policy 2020 in 2023, many government and private schools across Kashmir have yet to fully adopt its directives. As a result, students continue to carry excessively heavy school bags.
Farooq Ahmad Dar, a parent from Srinagar, told Rising Kashmir that despite the policy’s introduction, its ground-level enforcement remains inadequate. “Students in lower classes are still burdened with heavy school bags during this period,” he said.
He said that, according to the School Bag Policy 2020, primary students up to the 2nd grade should have no homework, and therefore, should not be burdened with heavy bags. “Schools should prohibit students from bringing excessively heavy bags. Since the policy has been implemented, it is now the responsibility of schools to ensure students do not carry such loads,” he added.
Dar expressed concern that the weight of these bags poses health risks to children, affecting their growth and well-being as they carry these loads daily.
Snowber Jan, another parent, said that education in private schools has become increasingly costly, with parents spending significant amounts on books and supplies. “If the School Bag Policy has been implemented, why haven’t schools adopted it?” she questioned.
Jan said that following the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in Jammu and Kashmir, schools are conducting various curricular and co-curricular activities. However, she added, “Many schools have failed to enforce the School Bag Policy properly.”
Snowber said the excessive weight of school bags hampers the ability of young students to carry them comfortably, which is why the policy was introduced. “It is the duty of the School Education Department to regularly monitor schools to ensure full enforcement of the School Bag Policy in both government and private institutions. This will provide relief to students in lower grades and ensure the policy is implemented at the grassroots level throughout the Kashmir division,” she said.