According to rules, if children are below 12 years then a van is allowed to ferry nearly 10 students. If the children are above 12 years of age, then only six students are allowed in a private van. Pic/Nimesh Dave

While the weight of their school bags continues to burden students in the city, they are facing another problem: the vans that ferry them to and from school. Private vans continue to violate norms by packing in students like sardines in their vehicles. But parents are still okay with this arrangement, as they feel more assured of the security of their wards inside these vans rather than the buses authorised by the school.