Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme is a state-funded nutrition initiative launched by the Government of Telangana from academic year 2026-27 that provides free nutritious breakfast and milk to all students enrolled in government schools and government junior colleges from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII) on all working days. No application is required. Visit schooledu.telangana.gov.in for more details.
Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme Highlights | |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Free Breakfast Scheme |
| Launched By | Government of Telangana |
| Inaugurated By | Minister Ponnam Prabhakar |
| Launch Date | June 15, 2026 |
| Announced In | Telangana State Budget 2026-27 |
| Nodal Department | School Education Department, Government of Telangana |
| Eligible Students | All students from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII) |
| Eligible Institutions | Government schools and government junior colleges in Telangana |
| Key Benefit | Free nutritious breakfast on all working days |
| Milk Provided | 3 days a week – 100 ml for pre-primary to Class V, 150 ml for Class VI to XII |
| Ragi Malt Provided | The remaining 3 days a week |
| Expected Beneficiaries | Approximately 29 lakh students |
| Application Required | No, automatic for all enrolled students |
| First State Achievement | First state in India to extend the breakfast scheme to Intermediate students |
| Official Portal | schooledu.telangana.gov.in |
Introduction of Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme: A Brief Insight
Many children in Telangana leave home early in the morning without eating breakfast. Their parents are already at work. Hunger affects their ability to concentrate in class, reduces attendance, and increases dropout rates. To ensure that no child in Telangana begins a school day on an empty stomach, the Government of Telangana launched the Free Breakfast Scheme from the academic year 2026-27.
The scheme was announced in the Telangana State Budget 2026-27. Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar formally inaugurated it on June 15, 2026, the first day of the new academic year, at the Government High School near Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad’s Khairatabad area. The School Education Department, Government of Telangana, implements the scheme across all government schools and government junior colleges in the state.
Under the scheme, every student from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII) enrolled in a government school or government junior college receives free nutritious breakfast on all working days before classes begin. Along with breakfast, every student receives milk on 3 days a week and ragi malt on the remaining 3 days. Pre-primary to Class V students receive 100 ml of milk per day, and Class VI to Class XII students receive 150 ml of milk per day. The scheme is expected to benefit approximately 29 lakh students across Telangana.
No application or registration is required. Every enrolled student in a government school or government junior college automatically receives the benefit. Telangana becomes the first state in India to extend a breakfast scheme to Intermediate students in government junior colleges.
This scheme is not the first of its kind in Telangana. The BRS government had launched the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme on October 6, 2023 for Class 1 to 10 students in 27,147 government schools, benefiting 23 lakh students with an annual budget of Rs. 400 crore. The scheme was discontinued in December 2023 after the Congress government assumed office. The current government revived it from June 15, 2026 with an expanded scope covering pre-primary to Class XII.
Students who also want to know about the lunch support available in government schools can explore the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, under which government school students receive a free cooked lunch every working day.
Further, the Telangana Government also provides free travel in state-run buses to women under Mahalakshmi Scheme.
Students, parents, and anyone looking for more welfare and education schemes available under the Telangana Government can explore all available programmes on our Telangana Government Welfare Schemes page.
Benefits Provided to Eligible Beneficiaries
The Government of Telangana provides the following nutrition benefits to all eligible students enrolled in government schools and government junior colleges under the Free Breakfast Scheme from academic year 2026-27:
- Free nutritious breakfast served to every student on all working days before classes begin
- Milk is provided on 3 days a week to every student
- Ragi malt is provided on the remaining 3 days a week to every student
- Milk quantity: 100 ml per student per day for pre-primary to Class V students
- Milk quantity: 150 ml per student per day for Class VI to Class XII students
- Covers students from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII)
- Expected to benefit approximately 29 lakh students across Telangana
- No cost to students or parents – fully funded by the Telangana State Government
- Telangana is the first state in India to extend the breakfast scheme to Intermediate students
6-Day Breakfast Menu Under the Scheme
| Day | Breakfast |
|---|---|
| Monday | Dosa and Chutney |
| Tuesday | Two Millet Idlis and Sambar |
| Wednesday | Two Pooris and Mixed Vegetable Kurma |
| Thursday | Two Bondas and Chutney or Sambar |
| Friday | Two Idlis and Chutney or Sambar |
| Saturday | Upma and Chutney or Sambar |
Eligibility Conditions Required to be Fulfilled
The School Education Department, Government of Telangana, has kept the eligibility for the Free Breakfast Scheme simple and automatic. Every student enrolled in a covered institution is eligible without any separate registration:
- The student must be enrolled in a government school in Telangana
- The student must be enrolled in a government junior college in Telangana
- The scheme covers students from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII)
- The scheme is available on all working days of the academic year
- No income restriction – students from all financial backgrounds are covered
- No category restriction – all enrolled students are eligible regardless of caste or religion
Who Is Not Eligible
- Students studying in private unaided schools
- Students studying in private junior colleges
- Students who are not enrolled in government schools or government junior colleges
Documents Required to be Attached
The Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme requires no separate application or document submission from students or parents. Every student studying in a government school or government junior college from pre-primary to Intermediate is automatically covered. Eligibility flows directly through school enrollment records:
- No separate application form required
- No online registration required
- No document upload required
- School enrollment in a government school or government junior college is sufficient
Important: Parents do not need to visit any office or submit any paperwork to avail this benefit. The school administration automatically includes all enrolled students in the breakfast programme on every working day.
How Beneficiaries Can Apply to Avail the Benefit of this Scheme
The Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme requires no application or registration from students or parents. Every student enrolled in a government school or government junior college automatically receives free breakfast on all working days. The school administration manages the entire process. Parents do not need to visit any office or submit any form to avail this benefit.
Step 1: Ensure your child is enrolled in a government school or government junior college in Telangana. Enrollment in the institution is the only requirement to receive free breakfast under this scheme.
Step 2: Send your child to school on all working days. Breakfast is served before classes begin every morning. No prior intimation or separate process is needed from the parents’ side.
Step 3: The school administration prepares and distributes breakfast to all enrolled students through approved implementation agencies. Every student receives the day’s breakfast as per the weekly menu before academic sessions begin.
Step 4: Along with breakfast, every student receives milk on 3 days a week and ragi malt on the remaining 3 days. Pre-primary to Class V students receive 100 ml of milk per day, and Class VI to Class XII students receive 150 ml of milk per day.
Important: If your child is enrolled in a government school or government junior college and is not receiving breakfast, contact your school’s Headmaster or the District Education Officer of your district. You can also raise a grievance through the School Education Department’s official grievance portal at schooledu.telangana.gov.in/IGRS.
Difference Between Free Breakfast Scheme and Mid-Day Meal Scheme
Many parents and students in Telangana are unaware that government schools provide two separate free meal programmes every working day. The Free Breakfast Scheme and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme are two different initiatives running simultaneously in government schools. The table below clearly explains the difference:
| Particulars | Free Breakfast Scheme | Mid-Day Meal Scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Before classes begin every morning | During school hours at midday |
| Type of Meal | Breakfast – Idli, Dosa, Upma, Poori and similar items | Lunch – cooked rice meal with dal, vegetables and egg |
| Purpose | Ensure no child starts the school day on an empty stomach | Provide nutrition and lunch support during school hours |
| Classes Covered | Pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII) | Class I to Class VIII (under central guidelines) |
| Institutions Covered | Government schools and government junior colleges | Government and government-aided schools |
| Launched By | Government of TelanganaThe | Government of India and the Government of Telangana jointly |
| Application Required | No | No |
| Cost to Student | Free | Free |
A government school student in Telangana enrolled from Class I to Class VIII receives the benefit of both schemes on every working day – free breakfast before classes and a free cooked lunch during school hours. This makes Telangana government schools one of the most nutritionally supported learning environments in the country.
Important Links Available
- School Education Department, Government of Telangana
- School Education Department Grievance Portal
- Telangana Government Official Portal
- Telangana Government Initiatives
Contact Details in Case of Help Needed
- Office: Director of School Education, Government of Telangana, Hyderabad, Telangana
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme?
Ans. The Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme is a state-funded nutrition initiative launched by the Government of Telangana from academic year 2026-27. It provides free nutritious breakfast to all students enrolled in government schools and government junior colleges from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII) on all working days. The scheme was announced in the Telangana State Budget 2026-27 and formally launched on June 15, 2026.
Q. Who is eligible for the Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme?
Ans. All students enrolled in government schools and government junior colleges in Telangana from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII) are eligible. There is no income restriction and no category restriction. Every enrolled student automatically receives the benefit on all working days.
Q. Which classes are covered under the scheme?
Ans. The scheme covers students from pre-primary to Intermediate (Class XII) studying in government schools and government junior colleges across Telangana.
Q. Do students need to apply separately for the Free Breakfast Scheme?
Ans. No. There is no separate application form, online registration, or document submission required. Every student enrolled in a government school or government junior college automatically receives free breakfast. Eligibility flows directly through school enrollment records.
Q. Is there any application form for the Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme?
Ans. No. The scheme requires no application form of any kind. Parents do not need to visit any office or submit any paperwork. The school administration automatically covers all enrolled students.
Q. What food is provided under the scheme?
Ans. Students receive a nutritious breakfast every working day before classes begin. The 6-day weekly menu includes Dosa and Chutney on Monday, two Millet Idlis and Sambar on Tuesday, two Pooris and Mixed Vegetable Kurma on Wednesday, two Bondas and Chutney or Sambar on Thursday, two Idlis and Chutney or Sambar on Friday, and Upma and Chutney or Sambar on Saturday. Additionally, every student receives milk on 3 days a week and ragi malt on the remaining 3 days.
Q. How much milk does each student receive?
Ans. Pre-primary to Class V students receive 100 ml of milk per day on milk days. Class VI to Class XII students receive 150 ml of milk per day on milk days. Milk is provided on 3 days a week, and ragi malt on the remaining 3 days.
Q. Are private school students eligible for the Free Breakfast Scheme?
Ans. No. The scheme is available only to students enrolled in government schools and government junior colleges in Telangana. Students studying in private unaided schools or private junior colleges are not covered.
Q. Is breakfast provided every school day?
Ans. Yes. Free breakfast is provided to all eligible students on every working day of the academic year before classes begin.
Q. How many students will benefit from this scheme?
Ans. The scheme is expected to benefit approximately 29 lakh students across Telangana studying in government schools and government junior colleges from pre-primary to Intermediate.
Q. Is Telangana the first state to provide breakfast to Intermediate students?
Ans. Yes. Telangana is the first state in India to extend a free breakfast scheme to Intermediate (Class XI and XII) students in government junior colleges. No other state currently provides breakfast at this level of education.
Q. What is the difference between the Free Breakfast Scheme and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme?
Ans. The Free Breakfast Scheme provides a nutritious meal to students before classes begin every morning. The Mid-Day Meal Scheme provides lunch to students during school hours. Both schemes run simultaneously in government schools, ensuring students receive both morning nutrition and a midday meal on all working days.
Q. What should a parent do if their child is not receiving breakfast at school?
Ans. Contact the school’s Headmaster first. If the issue remains unresolved, contact the District Education Officer of your district or raise a grievance through the School Education Department’s official grievance portal at schooledu.telangana.gov.in/IGRS.
Q. When was the Telangana Free Breakfast Scheme first launched?
Ans. The Breakfast Scheme was first launched on October 6, 2023, by the then Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao under the BRS government as the Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme for Class 1 to 10 students. It was discontinued in December 2023 after the Congress government came to power. The current government relaunched the scheme on June 15, 2026 with an expanded scope covering pre-primary to Intermediate students.
Tabassum is a government schemes researcher and writer with 5 years of experience tracking Central and State welfare scheme programmes across India. She has covered 500+ schemes spanning agriculture, women welfare, education, and housing, helping lakhs of beneficiaries understand their entitlements in simple language.