A government primary school head teacher in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district has been suspended after a viral video allegedly showed children being served watery potato curry and receiving less milk than prescribed under the Centre’s PM Poshan Scheme.
The incident, which took place at Primary School, Changapur on Monday, came to light after videos circulated widely on social media, prompting a preliminary inquiry by education authorities. Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Gorakhnath Patel said the investigation found prima facie evidence that the food served was of poor quality and that children were given an inadequate quantity of milk.
Following a physical inspection of the school, the district administration suspended head teacher Kalpana Verma and ordered a detailed departmental probe. Officials have said strict action will be taken if further irregularities are established, while the episode has renewed scrutiny of the implementation and monitoring of the PM Poshan Scheme in government schools.
Officials Order Inquiry
The controversy centres on a video that purportedly shows children at the government primary school eating rotis with an unusually watery potato curry, with social media users also alleging that the quantity of milk served was significantly below the prescribed norm.
According to BSA Gorakhnath Patel, the incident occurred on Monday, while Tuesday was a government holiday. Officials visited the school on Wednesday after the video gained widespread attention online.
A preliminary inquiry conducted by the Block Education Officer reportedly found two key irregularities: the quality of the meal served to students was substandard, and children received less milk than mandated under PM Poshan guidelines.
Based on these findings, Kalpana Verma was suspended pending a detailed investigation. “An inquiry done by the Block Education Officer found that children were given an inadequate amount of milk than prescribed. Also, the quality of the food served to children was substandard.
We have suspended the head teacher, and a detailed probe is underway,” Patel said after inspecting the school. He further stated that if the ongoing investigation uncovers negligence or additional violations, “stern action will be taken against those found responsible.”
The PM Poshan Scheme, formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, aims to improve children’s nutritional status, reduce classroom hunger and encourage school attendance by providing nutritious cooked meals in government and government-aided schools.
Any deviation from these nutritional standards can directly affect children’s health and learning outcomes, particularly for those from economically disadvantaged families who may depend on school meals as an important source of daily nutrition.
Recurring Concerns Over School Meals
The Sitapur incident is not an isolated case but the latest in a series of controversies surrounding midday meals in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier this year, a video from Mahoba district allegedly showed milk being diluted with water before distribution to students, leading to administrative scrutiny. Similar incidents have surfaced over the years.
In October 2021, reports from Meerut claimed that two litres of milk were mixed with five litres of water before being served to schoolchildren. In November 2019, a government school in Sonbhadra drew nationwide attention after allegations that one litre of milk had been mixed with an entire bucket of water and distributed among 81 students.
Another widely reported case emerged in Mirzapur in August 2019, where a viral video appeared to show children being served rotis with salt instead of a nutritious meal, triggering public outrage and political debate over the implementation of the then Mid-Day Meal Scheme.
While each case has had its own administrative response, these recurring incidents have raised broader concerns about quality control, monitoring mechanisms, accountability at the local level and whether nutritional guidelines are consistently being followed.
The latest controversy also underscores the growing role of social media in exposing governance issues, with viral videos increasingly prompting official inspections, inquiries and disciplinary action that might otherwise have been delayed.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Every child has the right to safe, nutritious and dignified meals at school. Schemes such as PM Poshan are designed not merely to provide food, but to support children’s health, learning and equal opportunities. When allegations emerge that prescribed nutritional standards are not being met, they deserve prompt, transparent and fair investigation.
At the same time, accountability should extend beyond individuals to include regular monitoring, adequate resources, effective implementation and systemic improvements that prevent such lapses from recurring. Constructive public scrutiny, responsible reporting and timely administrative action can together strengthen trust in welfare programmes that millions of children rely upon every day.
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