The directions were issued amid the complaints of students needing to carry heavy bags to their schools.

The union ministry of human resource development has directed school education departments of all the states to formulate guidelines for rationalising teaching of subjects to regulate weight of school bags carried by students.

The directions were issued amid the complaints of students needing to carry heavy bags to their schools.

The survey also revealed over 50 percent school children complained of backache.

A committee was constituted a year ago to suggest measures to help reduce weight of school bags of children, but its recommendations submitted to the government are yet to be implemented.

In Lakshadweep, authorities have ordered “School should not prescribe any other subjects except language and mathematics for class I and II and no other books except language, EVS and mathematics be prescribed for class IV to V students, as prescribed by NCERT.”

The order reads that students should not be asked to bring additional books or any other extra material to the school.

Contrary to it the students in J&K carry around a dozen books daily in their bags as the school authorities are prescribing additional books which are included in their timetable on daily basis.

The education department in Lakshadweep has directed the schools that weight of school bag should not exceed 1.5 kg up to 2nd primary, 3kg for class III to V students, 4 kg in case of students of VI and VII class.

They have also directed the schools not to exceed weight of school bag beyond 4.5kg for class VIII and IX students and 5kg for class 10th students.

Director school education Kashmir (DSEK), G N Itoo said the administrative department has to take a decision since the guidelines "We are waiting for the administrative department because they have to issue common directions for Kashmir and Jammu division. The moment we receive any direction, it will be implemented on ground," Itoo said.