Nutritional Security and Educational Outcomes: A Study of PM POSHAN Scheme in India
Keywords:
PM POSHAN Scheme, School Nutrition, Mid-Day Meal Programme, Educational Outcomes, Budget Allocation, Child Welfare.Abstract
The PM POSHAN Scheme, earlier known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, is among the largest school nutrition programmes globally. It is designed to address classroom hunger, increase school participation, and promote equality among children from diverse backgrounds. This study examines the scheme with special emphasis on its objectives, financial trends, coverage, and key implementation issues.
The study follows a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis based on secondary data collected from government reports, Ministry of Education documents, and relevant academic literature. Statistical tools such as mean and standard deviation are used to study allocation patterns, while Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is applied to analyse long-term financial trends. The results show that although there are variations between budget estimates and revised figures, actual spending has consistently increased, reflecting sustained government focus on child welfare.
The findings further indicate that the scheme has played a significant role in improving enrolment, attendance, retention, and nutritional status of school children. However, several challenges remain, including inadequate infrastructure, hygiene issues, lack of dietary diversity, delays in fund flow, and low remuneration for cooking staff. The study recommends strengthening infrastructure, improving meal quality, introducing digital monitoring, and encouraging community participation to enhance the overall effectiveness and sustainability of the programme.
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