Central Government PM POSHAN Scheme: One Hot Cooked Meal Every School Day from Bal Vatika to Class 8

8 November 2026, 6:13 PM • Harish Sharma • Category: All India Schemes

📌 Key information

News: Central Government PM POSHAN Scheme: One Hot Cooked Meal Every School Day from Bal Vatika to Class 8
Date: 8 November 2026, 6:13 PM
Author: Harish Sharma
Category: All India Schemes
Source: See the official portal for details — the link is inside the story.

The PM POSHAN Scheme is India’s largest school meal programme. Its full name is Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), and it was earlier known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. In September 2021 the Union Cabinet approved it under the new name for 2021-22 to 2025-26. It is run by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, which means the Centre and the States share the cost.

Who gets the meal

Children from Bal Vatika (pre-primary, just before Class 1) to Class 8 in government and government-aided schools get one hot cooked meal free on every school working day. According to ministry data, the scheme covers about 11.80 crore children in about 11.20 lakh schools across the country. There is no separate application — a child enrolled in an eligible school gets the meal automatically.

What the meal must contain

Under the National Food Security Act norms, the meal must meet fixed nutrition standards. For primary classes, the minimum is 450 calories and 12 grams of protein per child per day; for upper primary classes it is 700 calories and 20 grams of protein. The food norms are 100 grams of food grains, 20 grams of pulses, 50 grams of vegetables and 5 grams of oil for primary classes, and 150 grams of food grains, 30 grams of pulses, 75 grams of vegetables and 7.5 grams of oil for upper primary classes. States decide the actual menu, but it must stay within these national norms.

Who pays for the meal

The Centre supplies food grains free through the Food Corporation of India. The material cost for pulses, vegetables, oil, condiments and fuel was raised with effect from 1 May 2025 — Rs 6.78 per child per day for primary classes and Rs 10.17 per child per day for upper primary classes. The honorarium of cooks-cum-helpers and monitoring costs are also part of the scheme. Schools, including in Haryana, report the meals served every day on the PM POSHAN portal.

Current status of the scheme

One important point — the original approval of the scheme ended on 31 March 2026, after which the Centre extended it temporarily up to 30 September 2026. No public approval for the next five-year cycle (2026-27 to 2030-31) had been found as of October 2026. So always confirm the current status on the official PM POSHAN portal before quoting it. Meals continue in schools, but check the portal for the latest order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Who gets a free meal under PM POSHAN?
A: All children from Bal Vatika to Class 8 in government and government-aided schools, on every school working day.

Q2: Do parents have to apply for it?
A: No — there is no separate application. A child studying in an eligible school gets the meal automatically.

Q3: How much nutrition must the meal provide?
A: A minimum of 450 calories and 12 grams of protein in primary classes, and 700 calories and 20 grams of protein in upper primary classes.

Q4: Is the scheme still running?
A: The original approval ended on 31 March 2026 and the temporary extension ran to 30 September 2026 — check the latest position on the official portal, pmposhan.education.gov.in.