Overview

• About 80 of the school’s 120 students—most of them vegetarians—have opted out of mid-day meals and applied for transfer certificates since eggs began being cooked on campus this month.
• Locals contend that cooking eggs near the Veerabhadreshwara Swamy temple breaches long-standing traditions prohibiting non-vegetarian food in temple precincts.
• Until this month, students who declined eggs received bananas or chikki bars while eggs were handed to staff for home distribution.
• Officials warn that stopping on-site egg preparation could violate national nutritional mandates, yet continuing it risks further withdrawals.
• Mandya District In-charge Minister Cheluvaraya Swamy has convened a meeting with parents, school leaders and education department officials to seek a resolution.