Students share a mid-day meal at Raika School, Ahmedabad, in 2008. (Wikimedia Commons)
A school meal is often more than just lunch. For millions of children studying in government schools, it is the most nutritious meal they receive in a day. That is why recent reports of snakes, insects and other contaminants being found in mid-day meals have raised serious concerns about the implementation of one of India’s largest welfare programmes.
The latest controversy emerged from Bihar’s Saharsa district in May 2026, where more than 150 children reportedly fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal. According to local media reports and statements from affected families, a baby snake was allegedly found in food served under the PM POSHAN programme. District authorities ordered an investigation and collected food samples for examination. Similar reports had emerged from Bihar in 2025 when more than 100 students reportedly became ill after consuming food allegedly contaminated by a dead snake, prompting the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to seek a report from the state government.
These incidents have once again put the spotlight on India’s Mid-Day Meal Scheme, now known as PM POSHAN.
A Scheme Born to Fight Hunger
The national Mid-Day Meal Scheme was launched by the Government of India in 1995 as the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education. However, school feeding programmes had existed earlier in states such as Tamil Nadu. The objective was simple but ambitious: improve school enrolment, reduce dropout rates and address child malnutrition by providing cooked meals in schools.
A major turning point came in 2001 when the Supreme Court, in the Right to Food case, directed states to provide cooked meals in schools rather than dry rations. The order helped expand the programme across the country.
In 2021, the programme was renamed PM POSHAN. According to government data, the scheme currently covers nearly 11.8 crore children studying in around 11.2 lakh government and government-aided schools across the country.
Over the years, the programme has become one of the largest school feeding initiatives in the world. Yet its size has also created enormous challenges in monitoring food quality, hygiene and accountability.
A History of Contamination Incidents
The recent Bihar case is not an isolated incident.
Reports of insects, worms, lizards and suspected contamination in school meals have surfaced periodically in different states over the years. However, the Union government does not maintain a publicly available database specifically tracking such incidents nationwide.
The most tragic case occurred in Bihar’s Saran district in 2013, when 23 children died after consuming a school meal contaminated with pesticide. The incident shocked the nation and exposed serious weaknesses in food safety oversight.
More than a decade later, reports of contamination continue to emerge, raising questions about whether lessons from past tragedies have been fully implemented.
Corruption and Accountability Concerns
Food safety is not the only issue facing the programme.
Audit reports, court cases and state-level investigations over the years have highlighted concerns such as irregular procurement, diversion of food grains and discrepancies in beneficiary records. Experts say these issues vary significantly across states and districts.
Food safety experts also point to structural challenges such as inadequate kitchen infrastructure, shortage of trained staff, irregular inspections, storage issues and delays in fund disbursement. These factors can affect food quality even when official guidelines are in place.
The judiciary has played a crucial role in shaping the programme. In the landmark Right to Food case, the Supreme Court directed states to provide cooked meals rather than dry rations, transforming school feeding into a rights-based welfare measure. More recently, the NHRC has intervened in contamination cases, treating them as potential violations of children’s rights.
Has the Scheme Been Successful?
Despite recurring controversies, most researchers agree that the scheme has delivered significant benefits.
Studies have linked mid-day meals with increased school enrolment, improved attendance and reduced dropout rates, particularly among children from economically weaker households. The programme has also encouraged greater participation of girls in education and has contributed to social inclusion by bringing children from different social backgrounds together at a common dining space.
For many families struggling with poverty, the meal reduces household food expenditure and acts as an incentive to keep children in school.
Are Children Really Getting Proper Nutrition?
This is where the debate becomes more complex.
According to PM POSHAN guidelines, primary school students are entitled to meals providing at least 450 calories and 12 grams of protein, while upper primary students should receive 700 calories and 20 grams of protein.
However, nutrition experts point out that meeting calorie targets does not always guarantee balanced nutrition.
In many schools, meals largely consist of rice, dal and vegetables. Some states have introduced eggs, milk, fruits and millet-based supplements, but implementation varies widely across regions.
As a result, while the programme may successfully reduce hunger, its effectiveness in addressing broader nutritional deficiencies remains uneven.
How Does It Compare With a Middle-Class Child’s Diet?
A typical middle-class child often consumes multiple meals throughout the day that may include milk, fruits, eggs, pulses, vegetables and other protein-rich foods.
By contrast, the average school meal is designed as nutritional support rather than a complete daily diet. It provides essential calories and protein but often lacks the dietary diversity commonly available to many middle-class children, including regular access to fruits, dairy products and multiple protein sources.
Nutritionists therefore argue that PM POSHAN should be viewed as a safety net against hunger rather than a substitute for a balanced daily diet.
How Does India Compare With Other Countries?
Many countries operate school feeding programmes, but their approaches differ.
Japan’s school lunch programme is often cited as a global model because meals are designed by nutritionists and integrated into nutrition education.
Brazil’s programme emphasises locally sourced produce and mandates the inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The United States follows federally monitored nutritional standards for school meals.
India’s programme stands out for its scale. No other democratic country feeds such a large number of schoolchildren every day. However, experts argue that India now needs to focus less on expansion and more on quality control, food safety and nutritional diversity.
Direct comparisons with countries such as Japan, Finland and Brazil should be made cautiously because India serves far more children and operates under different economic and demographic conditions.
The Bigger Question
The recent reports of snakes and insects in school meals are not merely isolated food safety incidents. They highlight a larger governance challenge.
India’s largest school feeding programme serves nearly 12 crore children every day. When a contamination incident occurs, it is not merely a food safety failure. It becomes a governance failure affecting millions of families who depend on the scheme.
PM POSHAN remains one of India’s most ambitious welfare programmes and a vital source of nutrition for millions of children. Yet every report of contamination raises an uncomfortable question: is the challenge today expanding the scheme, or ensuring that every child receives a meal that is safe, nutritious and prepared with dignity?
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