The Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) is a school meal programme in India designed to improve the nutritional status of school-age children nationwide. Launched in 1995, this scheme provides free lunches on working days for children in every primary and upper primary class in government, government-aided, and local body schools.
The scheme was further extended to cover children studying in the Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS), Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE) centres, Madarsa, and Maqtabs schools supported under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (source: education.gov.in, 2014). The importance of mid-day meals in India cannot be denied since they play a crucial role in bringing children back to school.
What is the Main Aim of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme?
The main aim of the mid-day meal programme is to address hunger and education. By providing nutritious meals, it aims to improve the nutritional status of schoolchildren, encourage regular school attendance, and enhance their ability to concentrate and learn. Additionally, the programme seeks to promote social equality by bringing children from different social backgrounds together to share a common meal.
The provision of mid-day meals in India has helped in:
- Increasing enrolment in school
- Increasing attendance
- Mitigating classroom hunger
- Helping students concentrate in the classroom
- Reducing the drop-out rate among students
- Addressing the issue of malnutrition among children
- Empowering women through employment
