Laurence Simon

Abstract The provision of meals at schools is considered to have the potential to enhance human dignity and facilitate equitable access to students from low socio-economic backgrounds, low social status (including Caste) and poor households. Using students and teachers from public schools in Utter Pradesh also known to be India’s most populous and poorest state as it’s as its unit of analysis, the paper examines the impact on International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) led Midday Meal (MDM) School Feeding program in India on educational access, performance, participation, and wellbeing. The study sought to evaluate the implementation of the midday meal (MDM) program led by an INGO in Lucknow, Utter Pradesh, and India to ascertain if the strategic program implementation protocols also ensure social inclusion and held address various forms of discrimination commonly reported in the literature. The study revealed that students were satisfied with most of the implementation of the program, serving and food satisfaction indicators. Nevertheless, we argue that the implantation process could benefit from a more integrated inter-agency coordination so as to address concerns regarding at-risk children and improve sanitation and health facilities that are not directly associated with the MDM program. The study concludes that INGOs led MDM programs could serve as a model for inclusive and non-discriminatory school feeding system where all children, irrespective of their social, economic, religious and family backgrounds will equally benefit with dignity. Such an approach, we argue, could also enhance social equity, youth development and the attainment of the SDG targets in India.

J-CASTE advances peer-reviewed scholarship across disciplines into caste systems in South Asia and beyond and considers the marginalization and inter-generational oppression of religious, racial and cultural minorities throughout the world. J-CASTE assesses social policies meant to counter exclusion in multiple spheres and intolerance in multi-faith democracies. Our authors come from varying disciplines including philosophy and ethics, theology and culture, sociology and anthropology, economics, law, health, literature and art among others. We welcome critical reviews of our papers, as well as book and film reviews and commentaries.

J-CASTE advances peer-reviewed scholarship across disciplines into caste systems in South Asia and beyond and considers the marginalization and inter-generational oppression of religious, racial and cultural minorities throughout the world. J-CASTE assesses social policies meant to counter exclusion in multiple spheres and intolerance in multi-faith democracies. Our authors come from varying disciplines including philosophy and ethics, theology and culture, sociology and anthropology, economics, law, health, literature and art among others. We welcome critical reviews of our papers, as well as book and film reviews and commentaries.