India ? Two high schools in Mumbai have banned pupils from holding hands, kissing or touching on campus, warning that they will face disciplinary action if caught, officials said Monday.

The schools justified the move by saying that these acts, which are increasingly being shown by the local entertainment industry and emulated by the students, were contrary to traditional Indian values.

Parents were told that the Jamnabai Narsee school has a “zero tolerance toward bullying, vulgarity, vandalism and displays of affection not acceptable to society at large,” said Principal J. Vas.

“Hormones run riot at 16 to 18 years and we need to take disciplinary measures, set limits and put in certain ground rules,” she said.

India is a conservative society where public displays of affection are largely taboo. But in recent years, Indian-language movies have started showing scenes of kissing, partly because of slowly changing values as India opens up to the West.

The recently released code of conduct at the Vibgyor High School labeled “unwarranted touching” among students as an offense on the level with cursing and aggressive behavior.