 bill no lxxxvi of 2006 the children school bags (limitation on weight) bill, 2006 a billto provide for limitation on the weight of school bags, duties and responsibilities of the schools to ensure the compliance of the limitations so imposed and to provide lockers in schools and to issue necessary instructions for handling and carrying of school bags by children and for matters connected therewith or incidental theretobe it enacted by parliament in the fifty-seventh year of the republic of india as follows:—short title and commencement1 (1) this act may be called the children school bags (limitation on weight)act, 20065(2) it shall come into force with immediate effectdefinitions2 in this act, unless the context otherwise requires,—(a) "appropriate government" means in case of a state the government of that state and in other  cases, all the central government;(b) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act;3 (1) it shall be the duty of the appropriate government to ensure that the weight of the school bag to be carried by a child of particular class shall not be more than ten per cent of the weight of the child:weight of school bag notto be more than ten per cent of body weight5provided that there shall not be any school bag for a child studying in nursery and kindergarten classes (2) the appropriate government, shall in consultation with the indian academy of pediatricians or such other body as may be specified by the central government, notify  in the official gazette, the average weight of the child for a particular class for determining the weight of the school bag104 (1) the appropriate government shall, within its territorial jurisdiction, ensure that every school provides lockers of such size, as may be prescribed, to each student in the school up to class eighth in order to enable him to keep his sports equipments, books and note books in the schoolappropriate government to ensure lockers in school15(2) the appropriate government shall issue necessary instructions to every school authority wherein every teacher shall have responsibility to inform the students upto class fifth  in advance about the books and note books to be brought to school on a particular day5 (1) the appropriate government shall ensure that every school, within its jurisdiction, issues guidelines and instructions prescribing dimensions and the fabric for the school bag for students upto a particular class in such manner as may be prescribedschools to issue guidelines on school bags20(2) the appropriate government shall direct every school within its jurisdiction to issue guidelines  and ensure that:—(a) the students should use appropriate school bag with several  compartments to balance the weight and broad padded straps for symmetrical distribution of weight on their spine;25(b)  the students should always use both straps for carrying school bags and nostudent is slinging his bag over one shoulder;(c) the students should always keep the bag down while waiting for the schoolconveyance  or in the school assembly;30(d) the students should bend at knees with back straight while lifting the schoolbag(e) the students should be told how to pack their school bags so that heavy items should be close to the body and not carry unwanted items to schoolpenalty6 any school violating the provisions of this act and the rules made thereunder shallbe liable for fine which may extend to three lakh rupees:40provided that the appropriate government may, if the school is recognized,derecognize the school in case of  second or subsequent violation and rules made underthis actpower to remove difficulties457 if any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this act, the centralgovernment may, by order published in the official gazette, make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty:provided that no such orders shall be made after the expiry of the period of threeyears from the date of commencement of this actoverriding effect508 the provisions of this act shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, theprovisions in any other law, for the time being in force, relating to school bagspower to make rules9 the central government may, by notification in the official gazette, make rules forcarrying out the purposes of this  act statement  of  objects  and  reasonssmall children often have been seen tottering to school with heavy backpacks the results of this excessive weight is more serious than ever expected some children may develop a permanent stoop due to the heavy pressure on their spinal cord, which would lead to permanent damage to their physical structure and back musclesit is a medically proven fact that lifting heavy burdens for a  long time or distance is not good for anyone, especially children in the tender age, bones are delicate and excessive weight can misalign the spine leading to offensive skeletal and muscle maturity carrying a heavy bag on the back often results in aches in the back and shoulders forward bending at the back makes the work of breathing harder children carrying bags weighing more than 10 per cent of their body weight have been found to have poorer lung functionyet, life goes on as before for most families  even after they hear their children complaining about pain in back and neck  growing weight of school bag and its effect on health of the children has became a matter of grave concern for every parent school authorities have also been expressing their concern over the issue but nothing is being done to lessen the burden of school bagsalong with books, children have to carry their sports and other equipment with themif lockers are provided to children in school, it will allow them to leave sports equipment, and certain books and notebooks in school further, the school should issue common instructions to students in advance which books will be needed and which can be left at home and teaching the child to put down the bag when waiting at the bus stop, in the assembly, and to use both straps of the bag, etc some schools have adopted a way for reducing the weight of school bags they don't send all the books back home only those books are kept in the bags which the students are required to study at home this has been working very well for junior classes therefore, there is an urgent need to enact legislation for the whole of the country to save the children from carrying heavy loads on their backhence this billvijay j  darda memorandum  regarding  delegated  legislationclause 9 of the bill empowers the central government to make rules for carrying out the purposes of the bill as the matter will relate to details only, the delegation of powers is of normal character———— a billto provide for limitation on the weight of school bags, duties and responsibilities of the schools to ensure the compliance of the limitations so imposed and to provide lockers in schools and to issue necessary instructions for handling and carrying of school bags by children and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto————(shri vijay j darda, mp)