The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released a notification for Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to ensure that students in the campus are provided with healthy and safe food. The notification directs the HEIs to promote healthy food items in the canteen by prohibiting the of sale of unhealthy food in the campus.
An official notification by the UGC reads, "Good health is a fundamental privilege for humanity. lndia is facing a rapid increase in diseases, with 1 in 4 people being either obese or diabetic/pre-diabetic, as per the ICMR report 2020-2023. As you are aware, National Advocacy in Public lnterest (NAP|) is a national think tank on nutrition-consisting of independent experts in epidemiology, human nutrition, community nutrition and paediatrics, medical education, administration, social work, and management. Concerned over the rising obesity, diabetes and other Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), to build a case for accelerated implementation of the National multi-sectoral Plan of Action (NMAP) for Prevention and Control of common NCDs (2017-2022), NAP| has requested to prohibit sales of unhealthy foods in educational institutions and promote healthy food options in canteens."
The UGC had earlier also notified advisories on similar subjects vide its letters dated November 10, 2016 and August 21, 2018. The HEls are once again requested to implement the prohibition of sales of unhealthy foods in educational institutions and promote healthy food options in canteens to curb the ongoing epidemic of NCDs effectively by reducing the consumption of unhealthy ultra processed of HFSS foods, the notice added.