School Education Department Friday said that there shall be no carrying of bag for the students of classes upto the preschool.

It also said that the weight of school bags for students of classes I and II shall not have more than 1.5 KGs.

Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has said, “The weight of the school bags as per the policy should be 1.5Kg for students of Classes I and II, 3Kg for Classes Ill and IV.”

The circular issued by the DSEK reads that the weight of school bags for classes VI and VII shall be 4Kgs and 5KGs for classes VIII and IX followed by 5.5 KGs for class X.

DSEK said, “In compliance to the directions passed in a Public Interest Litigation, School Education Department had made the amendment to JK School Education Act 2002 by inserting Rule 8A, which mandates School Heads to regulate weight of school bags and mandated Government to cancel affiliation and recognition of the school violating provisions of Rule 8A.

It also said that the rules that shall be added as Rule 8A include, “No homework is assigned to students of classes up to 2nd standard.”

The director also said that no formal books are prescribed at Nursery, LKG and UKG levels.

“However, students of these classes may be provided a maximum of two notebooks or work books to be kept in the teacher’s custody in the school itself,” it reads.

The circular also states that students of pre-primary level are not asked to carry any bag except light carrier for Lunch box.

“No Schools should prescribe any other subjects except Language and Arithmetic for class 1st and 2nd, Language, Environmental Science (EVS) and Arithmetic for class 3rd to 5th; and Language, Social Science, Mathematics and Science for class 6th and 7h, or as prescribed by the affiliating authority,” it reads.

DSEK further said that the students shall not be asked to bring additional books and extra material to school.

The circular reads, “Government may cancel affiliation and recognition of the school violating the provisions of rule 8A.”