Director Public Instructions (Schools) S K Setia said, "We have had plans to do away with schoolbags for students for a while now. We plan to implement the decision when schools reopen after the summer break."

At present, department officials are busy defining the study material for the classes. A team of officials had also been sent to south India for researching the matter and has come back with modules for the classes, said officials.

Meanwhile, over 50 teachers from different government schools in the city have been trained to teach students without textbooks.

Setia said: “We have organised workshops for teachers in the past to train them for teaching using the study material. We intend to increase more activity-based learning among students.”

Activities like theatre and teaching through puppets are being introduced in the schools with the aim of promoting a fun and stress-free learning environment for students up to Class II as they are too young to handle the burden of books.

The officials also have plans of further implementing textbook-free education in the higher classes in a phased manner.

The idea of doing away with school bags has been welcomed by the principals.