Expansion to Urban Aided Schools
CM’s Breakfast Scheme Expansion 2025: The Tamil Nadu government has announced a major expansion of the CM’s Breakfast Scheme. Starting July 15, 2025, the scheme will now include government-aided schools in urban areas. This move ensures 100% coverage of both government and aided schools in the state.
The expansion date is symbolic, as it coincides with the birth anniversary of K Kamaraj, a former Chief Minister known for his education reforms.
1,416 Schools to Join
The Directorate of Elementary Education has identified 1,416 schools, mostly located in urban areas, for the latest phase of inclusion. These schools were previously excluded in earlier phases that prioritized government-run institutions and rural areas.
This strategic expansion will benefit thousands of additional students and improve nutritional access in key urban zones.
Scheme Timeline and Evolution
The Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme was launched in September 2022. It began as a targeted initiative for select schools but was rapidly scaled up due to its success. By March 2023, all government schools in Tamil Nadu were included.
In the 2024–25 academic year, the scheme was extended to rural aided schools, demonstrating a structured and phased rollout plan.
Current Reach and Impact
As of 2025, 17.53 lakh students across 34,987 schools are benefitting from this free breakfast programme. The upcoming expansion will push these numbers significantly higher, ensuring early morning nutrition for lakhs more.
Static GK fact: Tamil Nadu was the first Indian state to launch a state-sponsored Midday Meal Scheme under K Kamaraj in the 1960s, setting the foundation for modern school nutrition programmes.
Focus on Nutritional Equity
The CM’s Breakfast Scheme is aimed at combating classroom hunger, improving attendance, and encouraging enrolment, particularly in underserved areas. With the inclusion of urban aided schools, the policy moves toward universal access for children in primary education.
Static GK tip: The Right to Education Act (RTE) 2009 mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 in India, reinforcing schemes like these.
Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table
CM’s Breakfast Scheme Expansion 2025:
| Topic | Detail |
| Launch Year | September 2022 |
| Latest Rollout Date | July 15, 2025 |
| Linked Occasion | K Kamaraj’s Birth Anniversary |
| Coverage | All government and government-aided schools |
| Schools Added in 2025 | 1,416 urban aided schools |
| Total Schools Benefitted | 34,987 (as of 2025) |
| Beneficiary Students | 17.53 lakh |
| Responsible Body | Directorate of Elementary Education, Tamil Nadu |
| Previous Expansion | Rural aided schools (2024–25 academic year) |
| Objective | Improve nutrition, enrolment, and attendance |
