Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government has ordered a large-scale verification drive of Mid-Day Meal (MDM) records in government schools across five districts after an investigation in Haridwar uncovered 12,289 allegedly fake student enrolments in madrasas.
Following the findings, Education Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat has directed the Directorate of Education and Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to verify student attendance and Mid-Day Meal distribution records in selected districts.
Government schools and madrasas to be scrutinised
The inspection will cover government schools in the plains of Haridwar, Dehradun and Udham Singh Nagar, along with schools in Kotdwar (Pauri district), Haldwani and Ramnagar (Nainital district). Officials will compare actual student attendance with the number of meals being prepared and distributed under the scheme.
The Directorate of Education, PM Poshan Office and concerned district education authorities will jointly conduct the verification exercise.
12,289 enrolments found fake in Haridwar probe
According to education department officials, a recent investigation by the Haridwar district administration found major discrepancies in student records maintained by several madrasas.
Records showed that madrasa enrolment stood at 31,780 students in March 2026. However, a subsequent verification conducted in April 2026 found the actual number had dropped to 19,491, revealing 12,289 allegedly fake enrolments.
Several of these institutions were reportedly receiving benefits under minority welfare schemes as well as Mid-Day Meal allocations based on inflated student numbers.
Recovery of government funds likely
Special Secretary, Minority Welfare, Dr. Parag Madhukar Dhakate said inspections are also being carried out in madrasas located in other districts. Institutions found to have claimed benefits based on inflated enrolment figures could face recovery proceedings.
Officials stated that any mismatch between actual student strength and Mid-Day Meal allocations would be investigated, and government funds obtained through irregular claims may be recovered.
Over 5.57 lakh students covered under PM Poshan
Under the Prime Minister Poshan Scheme, cooked meals are provided to students from Classes 1 to 8 studying in government, aided schools and recognised madrasas across the state.
During the 2025-26 academic year, the scheme benefited 315,579 primary-level students and 241,620 upper-primary students, taking the total number of beneficiaries to 557,199.
Education Director Dr. Mukul Sati said the verification drive will examine both actual student attendance and the quantity of Mid-Day Meals being served to ensure transparency and prevent misuse of public funds.
