State re-introduces ‘No Bag Day’ on Saturdays

KIRANMAI TUTIKA | AMARAVATI

There is a lot for the students to cheer about. The no-bag day that was in practice during 2018 is being re-introduced. Students will not be required to carry their school bags and books on Saturdays. Instead, they will engage in a variety of recreational activities, including sports, games, creative exercises, and cultural workshops, aimed at reducing stress and enhancing overall happiness.

No-bag day was introduced earlier during TDP’s rule back in 2018, where it was implemented on every first and third Saturdays of the month. The re-introduced move also coincides with guidelines set by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), which has recommended measures to limit the weight of school bags.

In previous years, an expert committee was tasked with exploring ways to implement these guidelines effectively. However, due to the absence of official directives from the state government at the time, their recommendations remained unimplemented. With the introduction of ’No Bag Day,’ authorities now hope to take a concrete step in alleviating the burden on students while fostering a more engaging and interactive learning environment.

Speaking to Metro India, Director of School Education department V. Vijaya Rama Raju said that, “This initiative is expected to cheer students and also relieve them of their stress burden. On no-bag day, there will be sessions on moral education, sports, crafts, arts and many more that will groom students in a better way.”

During a recent review meeting on school and intermediate education, Minister for Education, Information Technology (IT), and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, officially declared that every Saturday will now be observed as 'No Bag Day' in all schools. He emphasized that the day will be dedicated to co-curricular activities, allowing students to develop essential life skills beyond traditional academic learning.