Gujarat schools to go bagless every Saturday starting July with joyful activities

The Gujarat government has announced that all primary schools across the state will now observe ‘Bagless Saturdays’ to promote joyful and stress-free learning.

Starting this July, students from Classes 1 to 8 in government, grant-in-aid, and private primary schools will no longer need to carry school bags on Saturdays. 

Instead, schools will conduct activities such as sports, yoga, Surya Namaskar, music, art, children’s assemblies, and other creative and physical development activities under the ‘Joyful Saturday’ initiative.

This decision aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, aiming to enhance the mental and physical well-being of students while encouraging practical learning experiences beyond textbooks.

Primary Education Minister Praful Panseriya stated that the state will begin implementing Bagless Days in phases to ensure smooth adherence to the policy across Gujarat’s schools.

Detailed guidelines have already been issued to all primary schools to begin observing Bagless Saturdays from this month, with additional clarity on activity planning to follow after the upcoming unit tests.