Hyderabad: The Telangana student meal scheme will include free breakfast for students from pre-primary to Intermediate from the 2026-27 academic year, while the government will also extend the midday meal programme to Intermediate students in government junior colleges.
Deputy Chief Minister Batti Vikramarka announced the decision while presenting the annual budget in the Assembly on Friday. He said the government will roll out the breakfast programme across the State to provide quality nutrition to students up to Intermediate level.
Under the breakfast plan, authorities will serve milk to every student on three days a week and ragi malt on the remaining three days, he said. The programme will cover students from pre-primary classes to Intermediate.
In addition, the State government will extend the midday meal scheme to students pursuing Intermediate education in government junior colleges. Earlier, the scheme did not cover this segment. With this step, the government expanded meal support at both school and junior college levels.
Vikramarka described the move as a new phase in student welfare measures. He said the government took the decision to strengthen support through improved nutrition.
Telangana student meal scheme targets nutrition, attendance
The Deputy Chief Minister said the Telangana student meal scheme will improve nutrition and health outcomes among students. It will also increase attendance and punctuality in educational institutions.
Moreover, the programme will reduce dropouts and absenteeism. The government linked the expansion to better student retention and regular classroom participation.
He also said the initiative will ease the burden on working parents. The measure will directly support families who struggle to provide morning meals before school.
He said, “Under the breakfast programme, every student will be given milk on three days a week and ragi malt on the remaining three days.”
He added, “It will ease the burden on working parents. In simple words, no child in Telangana should begin a school day on an empty stomach.”
Describing it as a major reform, Vikramarka said, “This is a watershed reform for student welfare.” He added, “This Breakfast initiative will not only nourish bodies, but also it will nourish the future of Telangana.”
The announcement placed student nutrition at the centre of the State’s education welfare agenda for the 2026-27 rollout. It also brought Intermediate students in government junior colleges into the meal support system for the first time.