The District Education Officer (DEO) of Ahmedabad city, Rohit Chaudhary, has issued a crucial directive to self-financed primary schools, prohibiting them from collecting any indirect fees from students admitted under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. This decision follows complaints that some schools were charging additional fees, including for activities, smart classes, and meals, which violate the RTE's provisions for free and compulsory education. The DEO emphasized that schools must not impose any financial burden on RTE students and warned against punitive measures, such as restricting class attendance or withholding exam results, for non-payment of these fees. Additionally, schools are instructed not to pressure students or parents into purchasing uniforms or textbooks from specific vendors. This move has been positively received by parents, who noted that such practices had unfairly impacted economically weaker families. The DEO has pledged to take strict legal action against any institutions that violate these guidelines.