Concerned about producing a generation of children with hunched backs and other spine problems, India has denounced schools for making students carry heavy school bags and giving young children homework.
The government has issued weight guidelines for school bags depending on a child's age, citing studies that show how the load can affect soft, developing spines.
One survey done by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India found that 68 percent of pre-teen children might suffer from mild back pain, which can develop into chronic back pain, and later into a hunchback.