A mid-day meal is a school lunch provided to children in government and government-aided schools in India as a part of the PM-POSHAN (Poshan Shakti Nirman) initiative (formerly the Mid-Day Meal Scheme) to improve their nutritional levels and support their education.

In November 2001, the Supreme Court of India passed a mandate stating, “We direct the state governments/union territories to implement the Mid-Day Meal Scheme by providing every child in every government and government-assisted primary school with a prepared midday meal.”

The provision of mid-day meals in India has helped in:

• Increasing enrolment in schools
• Increasing attendance
• Mitigating classroom hunger
• Helping students concentrate in the classroom
• Reducing the drop-out rate among students
• Addressing the issue of malnutrition among children
• Empowering women through employment
• Improving socialisation among children