Rajasthan HC bans junk food near schools, issues directives on child welfare, exam integrity

The Rajasthan High Court, Jodhpur, has taken suo motu cognisance of concerns affecting Gen Z, Gen Alpha and Gen Beta, including junk food consumption, excessive screen time, paper leaks, inadequate rural school infrastructure, and the potential erosion of basic learning skills in the age of artificial intelligence.

A Single Bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand, on Monday, August 24, banned the sale of high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt (HFSS) food items in school canteens and within 50 metres of school gates. The prohibited items include carbonated drinks, chips, trans-fat-containing bakery products and other junk food.

The court directed every school to constitute a School Food Safety and Nutrition Committee within four weeks, comprising teachers, parents and student representatives. Details of the committees are to be uploaded to the Education Department's website. Within eight weeks, school canteens must mandatorily display menu boards carrying information on calorie count, ingredients and nutritional value of food items, and implement a traffic-light labelling system.

Notices have been issued to several departments overseeing health, education, public distribution and consumer affairs, as well as to the state chief secretary, directing them to respond within eight weeks on the court's directions. The state government has been asked to file an affidavit within six weeks detailing steps taken to implement the 2020 regulations on safe and balanced food in government, aided and private schools.

The court also directed that mid-day meals and other nutrition schemes conform to FSSAI's balanced-diet guidelines. A dedicated portal and helpline are to be established for complaints regarding violations of food-safety norms.

Addressing technology use, the Bench expressed concern over increasing mobile screen time among children and excessive dependence on technology. While recognising that AI and digital learning are essential for preparing students for global competition, it cautioned that technology should not replace fundamental learning skills. The court stressed the need to preserve handwriting, book reading, note-making, independent thinking and written examinations, maintaining a balance between digital education and traditional methods.

On examination integrity, the Bench expressed concern over repeated paper leaks, observing that they adversely affect students' mental health and academic schedules and undermine public confidence in the examination system. It called for a foolproof mechanism to prevent such incidents.

The court further directed authorities to address deficiencies in rural and remote government schools, including vacant teacher posts, smart classrooms, computers, internet connectivity, health check-ups, toilets, drinking water and sports facilities. District collectors have been asked to conduct surprise inspections of rural schools and submit reports within eight weeks. A quarterly monitoring cell headed by the chief secretary has been ordered to oversee implementation of the directions.

Additionally, the court asked the Centre and state governments to prepare a plan addressing challenges concerning Gen Z, including the education-employment gap, social security for gig workers, affordable hostels and housing, digital detox programmes, data privacy and cyber security. Advocates have been appointed as amici curiae to assist the court in examining issues affecting the three youngest generations.

The matter has been directed to be placed before the acting chief justice for listing before an appropriate Bench.