Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 that his government will consider extending the mid-day meal scheme from the current ceiling of Class 8 to Class 12 in a phased manner, crediting the suggestion to a schoolgirl who raised the question during an interaction.

Context

Sukhu shared the exchange on social media, writing that a girl had asked a pointed question: 'मिड-डे मील अभी 8वीं कक्षा तक के बच्चों को मिलता है, तो इसे 12वीं तक क्यों नहीं बढ़ाया जा सकता?' ('Mid-day meals are currently available to children up to Class 8 — why can't this be extended to Class 12?'). The Chief Minister called the question a reflection of the student's 'curiosity and wisdom', adding that such questions give governments the opportunity to examine policies more carefully and test them against actual need.

He stated that the Himachal Pradesh government 'will consider starting mid-day meal facilities for children from Classes 9 to 12 in a phased manner.'

Policy Backdrop

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme, now officially called PM POSHAN, is a centrally sponsored programme that has provided cooked meals to government school children since 1995, when it was launched for primary classes. Coverage was extended to upper-primary classes (6 to 8) in 2002–03, and the Right to Education Act, 2009 mandated nutritional support up to Class 8 — setting the national ceiling that the schoolgirl's question directly challenged.

The 2021 rebranding to PM POSHAN added fortified nutrition components but did not alter the Class 8 upper limit. Any state-level extension to secondary classes would therefore require Himachal Pradesh to fund the additional coverage from its own budget, since the central scheme does not presently cover Classes 9 to 12.

Stakeholders and Impact

Secondary school students in Himachal Pradesh's government schools — particularly girls, who face higher dropout risk at the Class 9 transition — stand to benefit most if the proposal moves forward. Adolescent nutrition and retention in secondary education have been central concerns in post-NEP 2020 discussions, with several states examining similar pilots to address these gaps.

The state education department and district administrations would bear the primary implementation load. Budget planners will need to assess the cost implications ahead of the 2026–27 state budget cycle, and any formal proposal would require coordination with central authorities given the PM POSHAN framework.

What's Next

Chief Minister Sukhu's statement stops short of a formal policy commitment, framing the move as a consideration rather than an announced scheme. The critical next steps will be whether the Himachal Pradesh education department tables a phased pilot in the upcoming budget session or issues a formal order. Watchers of state welfare policy will track whether this citizen-prompted signal translates into a concrete rollout — a development that could also prompt other states to revisit their own secondary-school nutrition gaps.