Sayed Habib, Jaipur
The Rajasthan High Court has banned the sale of junk food within school canteens and within a 50-metre radius of school gates across the state, citing concerns over children’s health, education and overall development.
On Monday, a bench headed by Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand expressed concern over the availability of junk food in and around schools, as well as the increasing screen time among children. The court directed schools to strictly prohibit the sale of foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), including carbonated drinks, chips, trans-fat-rich bakery products and other junk food.
To ensure compliance, District Magistrates and Block Education Officers have been directed to conduct monthly inspections of schools.
The court observed that guidelines for ensuring safe and balanced food in schools were issued in 2020, but their effective implementation has remained inadequate even after more than six years. To strengthen compliance, every school has been directed to constitute a School Food Safety and Nutrition Committee within four weeks.
Schools have also been instructed to install a menu board within eight weeks, displaying details such as the calories, ingredients and nutritional information of food and beverages sold in their canteens.
The court further directed authorities to ensure that mid-day meals and other nutritional schemes adhere to prescribed standards for a balanced diet, with the aim of protecting children from obesity and lifestyle-related diseases.
The High Court also emphasized the need to use technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, while stressing that these tools should not replace fundamental learning methods.
The court highlighted the importance of handwriting, reading books, making notes and written examinations as essential components of children’s basic education.
Directions were also issued to fill vacant teaching posts in rural government schools and improve facilities such as smart classrooms, computers, internet connectivity, health check-ups, toilets, drinking water and sports infrastructure.
All District Collectors have been instructed to conduct surprise inspections of rural schools and submit compliance reports to the court within eight weeks.
