New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed schools affiliated to it to ensure that students do not carry school bags till class II. Also the CBSE advised schools to restrict the number of books to be prescribed in classes I-VIII. In its latest circular dated 12 September, 2016, the board has advised schools to take all possible measures to keep the weight of school bag under control.

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Mr Upendra Kushwaha yesterday (21 November 2016) in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question. The Central Government has taken various steps to reduce curriculum load and the weight of school bags.

The minister informed that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has not recommended any textbook for early childhood education. It has recommended only two books (Language and Mathematics) for classes I & II and three books for classes III to V (Language, Environmental Studies and Mathematics). The number and size of NCERT’s textbooks used by the primary and secondary school students are appropriate to their age.

 The Government has also launched a platform for showcasing and dissemination of all digital and digitisable resources for its stakeholders in collaboration with the NCERT.   Accordingly, the NCERT has made available all their textbooks and other teaching-learning material for free access through its website www.ncert.nic.in, e-pathshala.nic.in and mobile devices.