Home » Vocational Education Goes Mainstream: Education Ministry Releases Guidelines for Bagless Days

The National Council of Educational Research (NCERT’s) latest guidelines for the ‘bagless days’ initiative is all set to help students from classes 6 to 8 go beyond textbook learning. This innovative program designates certain school days where students are free from the burden of carrying heavy bags, focusing instead on hands-on, practical learning experiences.

While NEP 2020 already outlines the significance of implementing bag-free days in schools to combat rote-learning, NCERT released a set of revised guidelines to reinforce this strategy, on the policy’s fourth anniversary.

The new guidelines emphasize a ten-day ‘bagless’ period for middle school students, marking a significant shift from traditional classroom settings to a more dynamic learning environment. Rather than lugging around heavy textbooks, students will immerse themselves in engaging activities that seamlessly bridge the gap between what they learn in class with real-world applications.

In this newsletter, we break down what to expect during bagless days and highlight the latest implementation guidelines recommended by NCERT. Dive in with us!
Aligned with NEP 2020’s push for a more holistic approach, NCERT’s new guidelines aim to make learning more engaging, joyful, and stress-free. It is crucial for new-age schools to know that the idea is to integrate bagless days as part of the core curriculum rather than treating them as an add-on.

These practical experiences are expected to connect theoretical knowledge with practical experiences, aiding students in making well-informed career choices. Ready to see what NCERT has planned for the implementation of 10 bagless days for students from class 6 to 8? Let’s have a look!
icon-1 Schools should dedicate at least 10 days or 60 hours of their annual 1000-hour school schedule to these bagless days. This flexibility let’s teachers incorporate bagless days into the academic calendar, complementing the existing curriculum.
icon-2 Offering internships with local professionals such as carpenters, gardeners, and potters will help students acquire practical skills and explore potential career paths.
icon-4 Visits to banks, post offices, construction sites, panchayat offices, and other local institutions will help students learn about various sectors and professions.
icon-4 Students will engage in activities such as researching plants and birds, testing water and soil, and visiting biogas and solar energy facilities.
icon-4 The curriculum should include topics like robotics, cybersecurity, data science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and practical lessons on drone operation and waste management.
icon-4 Include activities such as drama, doodling, dance, and puppetry, along with visits to book fairs and field trips to historical landmarks. This will deepen students’ understanding of history, arts, and culture.
icon-4 Engaging with local artists and craftsmen will broaden students’ understanding of various cultures and traditions.
By implementing these changes, schools can offer substantial benefits to students in terms of motivation, skill-building, and exploring different career paths. Enhance the teaching-learning experience at your school with powerful digital platforms like the Extramarks Smart Class Plus app. This platform features engaging tools such as interactive multimedia content, 3D animations, real-time quiz sessions, virtual labs, and comprehensive assessments. Teachers can leverage live classes, performance analytics, and personalized learning paths to make lessons captivating and enhance bag-free school days. This will help students stay motivated and have an enjoyable learning experience.

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