HC seeks Delhi government’s reply on plea challenging weight limit on schoolbags

The Delhi high court’s order came while hearing the plea challenging the circular of the Delhi government issued on November 28 fixing the weight limit for the school bags.

The Delhi high court has sought the response of the Delhi government on a plea challenging the government’s decision fixing the weight limit of school bags for students. Justice C Hari Shankar also sought to know the stand of the Centre on the plea filed by Federation of Educational Publishers in India which has stated that the Delhi government’s circular instructed schools to prescribe only NCERT, SCERT and CBSE books.

Delhi government issued a circular on November 28 fixing the weight limit for the school bags. (HT File)

The court’s order came while hearing the plea challenging the circular of the Delhi government issued on November 28 fixing the weight limit for the school bags.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra contended that the classification of fixing the weights of the school bags was “totally arbitrary” and without any “scientific study”.

The plea, filed through advocate Kumar Vaibhav and Aayushi Sharma, contended that by prescribing a fixed weight of bags and instructing schools to follow NCERT, SCERT and CBSE books, the city government was trying to indirectly achieve a “compulsory enforcement” of NCERT books, which it is not allowed to do.

The petition also claimed that the circular is directing the use of a particular set of books, thereby violating of the bylaws of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). It also stated that the rights of the petitioners are being restricted. “That since the use/following of books other than NCERT and CBSE is not prohibited by CBSE by laws, there is no authority nor occasion for the respondent (Delhi government) to issue the circular,” the plea contended.

The matter would be now heard on January 9, 2019.