Right to Food Campaign
 

RESEARCH: MID-DAY MEALS

Introduction 

On 28 November 2001, the Supreme Court directed all State governments to introduce cooked mid-day meals in government and government-assisted primary schools within six months. The response of State governments was mixed: not all States were equally active in implementing these orders, and States which did so encountered significant "teething problems" along the way. However, early field reports also pointed out some major positive achievements of the new mid-day meal programmes, such as a dramatic increase in school participation in some states.

Given the need for a balanced assessment of the state of mid-day meal schemes across the country, the Centre for Equity Studies (New Delhi) conducted a field survey of three states - Chattisgarh, Karnataka, and Rajasthan - between December 2002 and May 2003. The survey covered a random sample of 27 villages in each state, and involved detailed interviews with teachers, parents, cooks and others involved with the scheme. The research objectives were to

  • Evaluate the success of mid-day meal schemes with respect to the primary objectives of (a) boosting school attendance, (b) improving child nutrition, (c) providing economic assistance to poor households, and (d) breaking caste barriers.
  • Investigate the problems faced by mid-day meal schemes, especially in relation to food quality, classroom disruption, and caste-based conflicts.
  • Search for "best practices" in the implementation of these schemes.
  • Understand how State Governments were able to finance mid-day meal schemes (this was particularly important since many State Governments claimed that such schemes were unaffordable).
  • Understand the role played by public action in persuading states to initiate these schemes. This would involve understanding where public pressure came from, how it was built, and whether there is scope for similar coalition-building in other states.
  • Formulate concrete proposals for the introduction of mid-day meals in states where the Supreme Court order is yet to be implemented.

    • [Introduction] [Survey Questionnaires] [Survey Guidelines] [Findings]