In a significant step toward promoting better food habits among students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) recently mandated a nationwide sugar awareness campaign across its affiliated schools, urging them to educate the students about the dangers of added sugars. This move marks a critical shift in how India’s education system is tackling rising concerns about childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, and poor oral health.

The campaign will include awareness drives, workshops on food literacy, and lessons on how to read nutrition labels, with the central idea aimed at helping students make informed food choices. But while the move has been widely welcomed, a question emerges at the bay – how to ensure that this passes beyond the school gates, and is practiced at home, especially when sugar still carries cultural sentiments with care, energy, and nourishment?

The Glucose Biscuit Paradox

For decades, glucose biscuits have enjoyed a reputation for being a healthy snack, but a typical 50g pack can contain more than six teaspoons of sugar, along with refined flour and oils. While these ingredients do offer quick energy, they do not offer much nutrition. And yet, these biscuits are commonly included in children’s lunchboxes, Anganwadi meals, and even distributed in health camps. Many parents and caregivers genuinely believe that they’re making a healthier choice. This highlights that the real issue persisting today is a lack of awareness, which this campaign can bridge.

India’s Twin Nutrition Challenge

India faces a unique nutrition challenge. About a third of the children under five are stunted due to malnutrition. At the same time, the country is seeing a rise in obesity and diabetes, even among the younger population.

A 2023 study published in The Lancet revealed that India has over 100 million people living with diabetes, including a growing number under the age of 25. Poor diet, including high sugar intake, is a major contributing factor.

Considering this situation, affordable and filling foods like glucose biscuits become default options in many homes, especially in homes dealing with food insecurity. However, the problem lies in the fact that although these foods are filling, they do little to support the healthy growth of children.

Why The CBSE Move Matters

The CBSE’s sugar awareness campaign is a key development because it moves beyond vague health messages like “eat healthy” and targets a specific risk factor. It points out that food literacy should be given a central place in a child’s education, just like math and science.

By teaching students how to identify added sugars and understand the long-term effects of consuming them in excess, CBSE is now equipping students with important skills. But this education will not be enough if the lessons do not go beyond the walls of the classroom, and students do not implement them at home.

What Needs to Happen

To make this effort a true success, a more coordinated approach is required. An approach including schools, families, communities, and even food manufacturers. Here are some actionable steps to do so:

1.   Community Nutrition Campaigns: Government and local health workers should run targeted public awareness campaigns through television, radio, and WhatsApp centered around the risk of added sugars and nutrition basics in local languages.

2.   Simplified Food Labelling: Implementing front-of-pack labels with warnings like “High in Sugar” has helped countries like Chile and Mexico reduce consumption of unhealthy foods. India needs to adopt similar steps so families can make better and more informed choices.

3.   Support Healthier Choices: Government subsidies and support for millet, pulses, and other nutrient-dense foods can help make healthier choices more accessible, especially for BPL and low-income families.

4.   Responsible Food Marketing: Brands with food products targeting children should be honest about the sugar content and other ingredients. Their claims should be accurate and transparent. Furthermore, strict regulation must be applied to limit the marketing of food containing sugar quantities above the acceptable level for children.

The Way Forward

The CBSE’s sugar awareness initiative is a much-needed course of action. It is the necessity of the hour for the younger population to realize what the food they are eating consists of and how this is going to impact their health.

The classroom has taken the first step. It’s time for homes and communities to walk alongside on the way forward.

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PUNE: Orchids The International School, one of India’s leading K12 school chains, has once again set a benchmark with its stellar performance in the CBSE Grade 10 board examinations in the Pune zone. The top honours were secured by Ojaswi Bhalerao (97%), Paree Hengle (96.2%), Shriya Gheware (95.8%), Siddi Pranathi Lakkala (95.6%) from Nigdi campus, and Shruti Bartakke (95.4%) from Ambegaon campus, among others. These students have emerged as top performers from the Orchids Pune zone, showcasing exemplary academic excellence.

An avid Karateka player of martial arts online action games and school topper, Ojaswi Bhalerao from Grade 10, Orchids The International School, Nigdi campus, said, “My CBSE success wasn’t achieved overnight but through consistent revision and practice tests. The feedback mechanism implemented by our science department at Orchids was invaluable, and my parents’ understanding of when I needed space to study and when I needed encouragement made all the difference.”

Nayana Chowre, Principal, Orchids The International School, Nigdi campus, said, “I am delighted to announce that Orchids The International School, Pune, has once again demonstrated academic excellence in the CBSE results. Our students’ accomplishments reflect the school’s philosophy of encouraging critical thinking and a love for learning beyond textbooks.”

Speaking on the overall results, Shlok Srivastava, Academic Head of Orchids The International School, said, “This year’s CBSE results at Orchids The International School fill me with immense pride. 1 out of 8 Orchid students scored above 90% in CBSE Boards 2025, and 42 students achieved centum marks in core subjects, including Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and other subjects across Orchid’s schools. The stellar CBSE results by our students stand as a testament to our educational vision.”

All 3 Orchids campuses in Pune recorded a 100% pass percentage for Grade 10.

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The school achieved a 100% pass rate in both Class X and Class XII examinations, marking another proud milestone in its journey of holistic education.

In the Class XII results, 117 students appeared for the examination, with 45 students scoring above 90%. The school has adopted the New Education Policy’s interdisciplinary curriculum model, hence results were not stream-specific. The following were the top scorers:

• Mugdha Phatak – 97.4%
• Y. Sree Lakshmi Maansa – 97.2%
• Anish Gangavaram – 96.6%

In Class X, 115 students appeared, and an impressive 75 students scored above 90%. The following were the top scorers:

• Arnav Pakkala – 100%
• Siya Piyush Dhagar – 99.4%
• Shreya Kukanur – 99%
• Esha Jain – 93% *(Visually impaired student whose inspiring result has been widely lauded by all)

Commenting on the success, Nirmal Waddan, Principal, said, “These exceptional results are not only a reflection of our students’ perseverance, but also the commitment & passion of our educators. They have helped shape confident, curious, and value-driven individuals poised to excel in whatever they do.”

Deeksha Kalyani, Director, congratulated the students & teachers, stating that such consistent academic excellence reaffirms the school’s ethos of nurturing ambition with compassion. These accomplishments have created an atmosphere of celebration within the school community and underscore The Kalyani School’s position as one of Pune’s leading institutions for future-focused, quality education.

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