To raise awareness among students about healthy eating habits, the CBSE has asked schools to display "oil boards" within their premises. These refer to posters that highlight the high oil content in common foods, along with related health information. The directive was issued by Dr Praggya M Singh, Director (Academics), CBSE, urging school heads to promote healthy lifestyles among students. This follows an earlier circular that asked schools to set up "sugar boards" with a similar objective. The new letter cites a significant rise in obesity cases among children and adults.
Citing the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-21, the circular said, "Over one in five adults in urban areas are overweight or obese." It also referred to the Lancet GBD 2021 obesity forecast (published in 2025), stating, "The number of overweight and obese adults in India is projected to rise from 18 crore in 2021 to 44.9 crore by 2050, making it the country with the second-highest global burden. Prevalence of childhood obesity is impacted mostly by poor dietary habits and reduced physical activity."
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What The New CBSE Circular Asks Schools To Do
The letter calls on schools to "sensitise" students and staff to these health issues by doing the following:
- Use Posters and Displays: Put up digital or printed posters in shared spaces such as cafeterias, lobbies, meeting rooms, and other public areas to highlight the risks of unhealthy eating.
- Add Health Messages on Stationery: Carry short health messages on school stationery such as letterheads, envelopes, notepads, and folders, to serve as regular reminders for preventing obesity.
- Encourage Healthy Habits in Schools: Promote healthy eating by offering more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat food options; limiting sugary and fatty snacks; and encouraging physical activity such as taking the stairs, short exercise breaks, and walking paths.
Oil Board. Photo Credit: FSSAI
What The Earlier Circular Said
In May 2025, CBSE issued a separate circular directing schools to warn students about excessive sugar intake through the display of "sugar boards." These posters outline the recommended daily sugar limits, sugar content in popular items like cold drinks and fast food, health risks of sugar overconsumption, and healthier alternatives. Schools were asked to help students make more informed food choices for long-term health. The letter also encouraged seminars and workshops to raise awareness.
Sugar Board
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Related Recent Developments
Posters warning against high sugar and oil consumption are not limited to schools. Central government offices and other institutions are also being asked to display similar boards to promote better dietary choices. In June, the Union Health Ministry proposed that boards showing oil and sugar content in common foods like pizzas, burgers, samosas, vada pav, and kachoris be "prominently displayed" in schools, offices, and other government departments and bodies, ANI reported.
In recent months, these "sugar and fat boards" have sparked headlines and public debate around health, personal choice, and food habits.