On 77th Republic Day, kids eat off torn notebook pages at MP school

As the nation marked the 77th Republic Day with patriotic fervour on Monday (January 26), a disturbing incident from Maihar district in Madhya Pradesh cast a harsh light on the condition of the government school system.

A video, reportedly from Bhatigawan village, has gone viral showing students at a government school being served the special Republic Day mid-day meal not on plates, but on torn pages from old notebooks and books.

Meals served on notebook pages

At Government High School, Bhatigawan, children were allegedly served the Republic Day meal on ripped sheets of used notebooks and discarded books, instead of plates or even disposable paper.

Videos circulating on social media show students seated on the ground in the school courtyard with no plates visible. Instead, food was placed directly on soiled and torn paper sheets bearing ink marks and stains.

The halwa and puri were reportedly dumped onto these paper scraps, raising serious concerns over hygiene and the dignity of the children.

Students were forced to eat hot food from pages originally meant for writing, which still carried traces of ink, dust and grime.

Investigation underway

According to reports, funds had already been released for the purchase of plates in line with student strength. However, not a single plate was seen during the Republic Day meal.

Following the circulation of the video, parents and villagers expressed anger and embarrassment, questioning how such an incident could take place under the supervision of the education department.

Responding to the incident, senior official Vishnu Tripathi said the viral video had come to his attention and that he had instructed the Block Resource Coordinator (BRC) to visit the school and conduct an inquiry.

He assured that strict action would be taken against those found responsible, based on the findings of the investigation.

Congress reacts

Reacting to the incident, the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee asked how long innocent children in the state would continue to suffer shame and humiliation due to what it termed the government’s negligence.

Sharing the video on X, the Congress said that in Maihar, on Republic Day, children were served mid-day meals on torn pages of books and notebooks.

“This is not only an insult to the children but also to the Goddess of Learning,” it said.

“The Mohan government and its administration have become completely devoid of sensitivity towards innocents,” the party added.