Mid-Day Meal Scheme (PM POSHAN): How It Works & Eligibility

What is the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (PM POSHAN)?

The Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme is one of the world's largest school feeding programmes. It was renamed PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) Abhiyaan in September 2021. The scheme provides free cooked meals to children studying in Class 1 to 8 in government and government-aided schools across India.

The primary goals are:

• Improve nutritional status of school-age children
• Increase school enrollment and attendance
• Reduce dropout rates
• Promote social equality by having children from all backgrounds eat together

The scheme covers over 11.80 crore children across approximately 11.20 lakh schools in India.

Who is Eligible?

The following students are covered under PM POSHAN:

• Students of Class 1 to Class 8 (ages 6-14 approximately)
• Enrolled in government schools, government-aided schools, and schools run by local bodies
• Students in Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) and Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE) centres
• Pre-primary students (Bal Vatika) in government schools (added under PM POSHAN)
• Students in National Child Labour Project (NCLP) schools

Note: Private unaided schools are not covered under this scheme.

Nutritional Norms

The government has specified minimum nutritional content for each meal:

For Primary Students (Class 1-5)

For Upper Primary Students (Class 6-8)

Meal Composition

Each meal must include:

• Rice or wheat (roti/chapati)
• Dal (pulses/lentils)
• Vegetables (seasonal, locally available)
• Oil and fat in specified quantities
• Micronutrients — fortified rice is being introduced in phases
• Eggs, fruits, or milk are provided on specific days (varies by state)

How the Scheme Works

Funding

• Central government provides: food grains (free via FCI), cooking cost sharing, and management costs
• State government provides: matching cooking cost contribution, kitchen infrastructure, and cook/helper wages
• Cooking cost (2024-25): approximately ₹5.45/child for primary and ₹8.17/child for upper primary (revised periodically)

Implementation at School Level

1. Food grains are allocated to each school based on enrollment
2. Cook-cum-helpers are engaged (usually local women's SHGs)
3. Meals are prepared fresh daily in the school kitchen or centralized kitchen
4. Meals served during school hours (typically lunch break)
5. Tasting by teachers is mandatory before serving to children
6. Menu is decided by the School Management Committee (SMC) and varies by state/district

Centralized Kitchen Model (Select Areas)

Some urban areas use centralized kitchens (e.g., Akshaya Patra Foundation, ISKCON Food Relief) that prepare and deliver meals to multiple schools.

School Coverage by Type

How to File a Complaint About Mid-Day Meals

If there are issues with meal quality, hygiene, regularity, or if meals are not being served at all:

Step 1: Report to School Authorities

• Speak to the Head Teacher / Principal about the issue
• Raise the matter in the School Management Committee (SMC) meeting
• Parents can demand an SMC meeting to discuss MDM concerns

Step 2: Contact District Education Officer

• Write a complaint to the District Education Officer (DEO) or Block Education Officer (BEO)
• Include the school name, issue description, and dates

Step 3: Use State Helpline / Online Portal

• Many states have dedicated education helplines
• Use the PM POSHAN portal (pmposhan.education.gov.in) to find state contacts

Step 4: File on CPGRAMS

• Visit pgportal.gov.in
• Select "Ministry of Education" → "Department of School Education"
• File your grievance with supporting details

Step 5: Report Food Safety Issues

• For food contamination or illness, contact the Food Safety Officer in your district
• Call FSSAI helpline or file on fssai.gov.in

Important Tips

1. Parents can visit during meal time to check quality — this is your right as an SMC member
2. Menu should be displayed on the school notice board — if not, ask the headmaster to put it up
3. Children should not be asked to cook or clean utensils — only engaged cook-cum-helpers should do this
4. Meals must be served on all school working days — minimum 200-220 days per year
5. Report immediately if children fall sick after a meal — contact the District Education Officer and food safety authorities

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is the Mid-Day Meal really free?

Yes, completely free. No school can charge students or parents for the mid-day meal. If any school demands money, it is a violation — report it to the Block Education Officer.

Q2. What happens during summer vacations?

Under PM POSHAN, food security allowance can be provided during prolonged school closures (as was done during COVID-19). Some states provide dry ration or food grains during summer breaks, but this varies.

Q3. Can my child get meals if we don't have a ration card?

Yes. The Mid-Day Meal scheme is not linked to ration cards. All students enrolled in eligible schools get meals regardless of their family's ration card or BPL/APL status.

Q4. Who cooks the mid-day meals?

Meals are cooked by Cook-cum-Helpers engaged by the school. These are usually members of local women's Self Help Groups (SHGs). They receive an honorarium from the government.

Q5. What if the school is not serving meals regularly?

File a complaint with the Block Education Officer. You can also escalate to the District Education Officer or use the CPGRAMS portal. See the complaint process section above for detailed steps.

Q6. Is there any nutritional monitoring?

Yes. The government conducts periodic nutritional surveys. Schools must maintain daily meal registers and the MDM Management Information System (MIS) tracks meal counts. State-level inspections are conducted regularly.

Disclaimer: CitizenNest is an independent informational platform and is not affiliated with any government body. Information is sourced from official government websites and may change. Always verify with your local school or district education office for the latest details.