The Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) is the world’s largest feeding program and was launched by India’s central government in August 1995 with the lofty goals of “enhancing enrollment, retention, and attendance while simultaneously improving nutritional levels among children.” In a landmark order dated 28 November 2001, the Supreme Court of India directed all state governments to introduce cooked mid-day meals in primary schools within six months. MMS (or MDMS or MDM) has become a key program for the government, now serving about 105 million primary and upper-primary schoolchildren in 1.2 million schools.[2] When implemented properly, MDMS has had a noticeable positive impact on student attendance and enrollment, alongside a reduction in teacher absenteeism. | The Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) is the world’s largest feeding program and was launched by India’s central government in August 1995 with the lofty goals of “enhancing enrollment, retention, and attendance while simultaneously improving nutritional levels among children.” In a landmark order dated 28 November 2001, the Supreme Court of India directed all state governments to introduce cooked mid-day meals in primary schools within six months. MMS (or MDMS or MDM) has become a key program for the government, now serving about 105 million primary and upper-primary schoolchildren in 1.2 million schools.[2] When implemented properly, MDMS has had a noticeable positive impact on student attendance and enrollment, alongside a reduction in teacher absenteeism. |