Research reports over the last few years suggest that student food insecurity has multiple knock-on effects. It usually has a negative impact on students' relationships (Henry, 2017), mental health, and achievement (Maynard et al., 2018). In the case of India, there is evidence that young people are potentially affected by food insecurity and other forms of malnourishment in college or university and from an early age as well. It has been made news several times, but the Government has not made immediate or adequate efforts, which remains a cause of concern.
The field survey conducted among Patna University students in 2019 and 2020 reveals evidence of students lacking access to nutritious food. The University Students reported that the food cooked in the formal canteen was not good and proper. A watery portion of rice, mainly potato curry or a watery dal, is generally on their plates. No green vegetables, eggs, milk, or fruits were served. Students complained to the Hostel warden, and the concerned University authorities were overlooked. The contractor for the canteen had recently left but had not been replaced, so the facility was not functional over much of 2019-20. Students in the university's hostels were left with no option but to cook on their own on stoves in the rooms and manage on their own.
Moreover, a rather expensive alternative that was open to students with some private means was to walk through the by-lanes of a neighboring residential area and eat in the private restaurants run by families residing there or in small roadside dhabas (small eating shops). Nevertheless, students said that, even at these private outlets, the quality was poor and the food was expensive. However, having considered the same, the proper arrangement of healthy foods is yet to be carried out for students.
