SCPCR initiates steps to reduce the weight of School bags on childrens back

Updated on: Friday, January 25, 2013

Heavy school bags are likely to go off from the back of school children if the state child rights panel has its way. State commission for protection of child rights (SCPCR) has written to the district administration to ensure that only NCERT text books are followed by all private schools. This would lessen the burden of school bags considerably.

Presently, private schools recommend books by private publishers along with NCERT text books.

On Wednesday, at the hearing of the special bench of the SCPCR, the chairperson Usha Chaturvedi told TOI that the commission had sought book lists from all private CBSE and ICSE schools through the district education officer (DEO) on October 17 last year.

However, since the book lists haven't reached the commission yet, hence a reminder was sent to the DEO. Block education officer (BEO), Phanda Narendra Sharma, who was present at the hearing said that 18 schools have sent their book lists to the DEO's office. "The rest are expected to submit by January 31," he said. "In case the book lists are not submitted by the school by the said date, then it would be assumed they are following the NCERT books only," said the chairperson.

Dr P K Pathak, chief coordinator Sahodaya Group of CBSE Schools, Bhopal who was also present at the meeting said, "According to the CBSE rules, even books of private publishers are allowed from classes I to VIII since they are based on the NCERT syllabus. However, it is mandatory for all the schools to follow only NCERT books from classes IX to XII."

The applicant in the case, Jagpravesh Gupta, had petitioned that there is monopoly of private publishers and they work in tandem with the CBSE schools eventually leading to heavy school bags for children. Notably, ASSOCHAM had released a report on "Heavy school bags causing severe back pain among school kids."

SCPCR initiates steps to reduce the weight of School bags on childrens back

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