CBSE has made a milestone effort in fighting childhood obesity and the incidence of diabetes in students by making it mandatory to install ‘Sugar Boards’ in all its affiliated schools. The Central Board of Secondary Education’s latest diktat is in an attempt to instil increased awareness among school-going children about their consumption of sugar and enable them to take better dietary decisions in early life. The policy has already gained early adoption in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Delhi.
Released under CBSE’s larger School Health Programme, the notification, published in May 2025, asks all the affiliated schools to install easily visible ‘Sugar Boards’ in school canteens and cafeterias. The boards are required to showcase the amount of sugar present in popular food items and drinks available on campus — like packed juices, soft drinks, biscuits, candies, and even apparently harmless food items like flavored yoghurts and cereals.
CBSE and the battle against early-onset diabetes
This CBSE initiative follows reports of alarming health agency reports of a sharp increase in Type 2 diabetes in the age group 8 to 17. Latest figures from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) show that the rate of childhood diabetes in urban India has increased almost twofold in the past five years. Excessive sugar intake, physically inactive lifestyle, and a general dearth of nutritional knowledge have been cited as major causes.
Through ‘Sugar Boards’, the CBSE aims for behavioral transformation and not through prohibition or limitation but through making informed choices. “We want to create awareness at the grassroots level. Children are intelligent — if they’re aware of how much sugar is present in a cola, they may think twice before picking it up,” a senior CBSE official said.
Schools and state boards lead the charge
A few states are already pioneers in adapting to the CBSE directive. Maharashtra’s education department has sent parallel guidelines to more than 20,000 schools, instructing them to adhere to the ‘Sugar Board’ policy in a month. In Pune and Mumbai, principals of schools have begun training kitchen and canteen staff about norms of food labeling.
In Delhi, institutions such as Bal Bharati Public School and Tagore International have launched awareness campaigns, incorporating sugar intake literacy into morning assemblies and health classes. Karnataka’s education department has also launched an implementation plan in urban and rural districts, referring to the necessity to fill nutritional knowledge gaps.
CBSE authorities are liaising with state-level nodal officers to track compliance and provide training for how to correctly calculate and display sugar values. Health professionals and nutritionists will also be brought in to assist schools during the transition.
CBSE: Can showing sugar content actually revolutionize school children’s eating habits?
It is at the center of the controversy over the new CBSE directive that this question lies. Public health professionals are generally in favor of the move, but some parents and teachers are doubtful about its efficacy. CBSE contends that tiny visual pushes — such as sugar content labels — have the potential to leave a lasting cognitive print on children.
“Kids take in information visually. A board that informs them their juice has 12 teaspoons of sugar is more effective than a sermon,” said New Delhi pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Ritu Sharma. She added that the interventions need to be long-term and accompanied by health education for best results.
CBSE has also directed schools to implement age-specific curriculum modules on nutrition, sugar diseases, and the risks of processed foods. Teacher training manuals are in preparation in coordination with AIIMS and the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).
Guidelines and accountability
In the new CBSE format, schools are required to:
- Install Sugar Boards prominently, preferably near counters that dispense food.
- Display sugar content per 100g/ml and in per-serving units.
- Train vendors and employees in basic nutritional labelling.
- Document compliance through monthly health audits and report in the CBSE regional office.
Non-compliance will not invite punitive measures forthwith, but CBSE has indicated that persistent disregard for student health efforts could influence a school’s accreditation review in the long term.
The ‘Sugar Boards’ are not restricted to graphical charts. CBSE has prompted the usage of digital screens that have the ability to display rotating facts, infographics, and videos on sugar and health effects. This goes in sync with the government’s broader thrust for Digital India integration in schools.
Mixed reactions from students and parents
Initial reactions among students have been varied. Some students have greeted the move, stating that it makes them feel in control of their diets, while others believe it may not impact behaviour if favourite high-sugar foods are not actually withdrawn from menus.
Parents are also split. Anupama Joshi, whose child studies in Class 7 in Bengaluru, stated, “It’s a step in the right direction, but unless the school canteen does not continue to offer sugary junk, a sugar board alone will not work.” Nevertheless, other parents welcomed the openness and the possibility for children to acquire self-control.
CBSE has made it clear that the aim is not to instill fear or impose bans but to impart knowledge. The schools are being encouraged to conduct low-key fun quizzes, poster competitions, and cooking sessions with a focus on low-sugar recipes as part of the scheme’s second phase.
Future roadmap
In the next few months, CBSE is going to carry out an impact study jointly with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Schools that show model implementation of the ‘Sugar Board’ directive could be recognized or awarded grants under the School Health Initiative awards.
CBSE also plans to introduce a companion “Salt Board” and “Fat Board” concept by 2026 to give overall dietary awareness. These projects, officers claim, are a part of a changing ecosystem to save student health as childhood lifestyle diseases increasingly become regular.
For the time being, the CBSE Sugar Board requirement is an enlightened step towards school health policy, making India one of the few nations actually implementing food transparency as an intervention to change behavior in schools. Implemented well, this program could become a model for global nutrition education.
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