Time Used for Preparation and Consumption of Mid-Day Meal The Mid Day Meal Guidelines envisage that teachers should not be assigned responsibilities that will impede or interfere with teaching learning activities. Teachers should, however, be involved in ensuring that (a) good quality, wholesome food is served to children, and (b) the actual serving and eating is undertaken in a spirit of togetherness, under hygienic conditions, and in an orderly manner so that the entire process is completed in 30-40 minutes. It should however, be ensured that the food prepared is tasted by 2-3 adults including at least one teacher before it is served to children. Preparation and serving of mid day meals to the children are done by the cook-cum-helpers. The teaching learning activities are not affected because the meals are served during the recess period. The Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) is aimed at addressing the issue of hunger as well as education of children by improving their nutritional status. It also aims at encouraging school children, many of which belong to poor and disadvantaged sections, to attend school more regularly, overcome classroom hunger and help them concentrate on classroom activities. Besides preventing classroom hunger and promoting classroom participation, the mid day meal in schools also imparts intrinsic educational values, foster social equity and enhances gender equity. Thus, the MDMS is not merely a scheme to provide food but is closely linked to achieving the goal of universalization of elementary education along with Sarva Shiksha abhiyan. The Government of India reviews the Scheme through Joint Review Missions consisting of academic and nutritional experts and experienced adminsitrators. 38 Monitoring Institutes of national repute have been engaged for monitoring and evaluation on a six-monthly basis. Several independent studies such as by Programme Evaluation Organization of erstwhile Planning Commission etc. have reported positive impact of the MDMS on educational indicators in the country. The Government of India has also issued updated guidelines on quality, safety and hygiene on school level kitchens to all the States / UTs on 13th February, 2015. These guidelines, inter alia, provide for instructions to schools to procure Agmark quality and branded ingredients for preparation of mid day meals, tasting of meals by 2-3 adult members including at least one teacher before serving to children and to put in place a system of testing of food samples by accredited laboratories. This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Irani today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.
