Students to don roles as diet managers, mess monitors and hygiene monitors at Telangana Gurukul Schools

A mess monitor will check if all the cooking and help staff are present, cleanliness of vessels and the cooking area, and their overall work is monitored by night stay teachers. The image is used for representative purposes only. | Photo Credit: SRINIVASAN KV

A year after a series of incidents raised questions about quality of food served in hostels run by the Telangana government, and complaints of pilferage and mismanagement of provisions, the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TGSWREIS) is handing over the management of the messes.

In a unique academic activity, students, eight each from Classes 8, 9 and 10, and nine students from Class 11, on a rotation basis each month, will assume the roles of diet managers, mess monitors and hygiene monitors. And in a given academic year, all the students in a class would complete their role. The programme will begin with the 2025-26 academic year.

Each of the roles with defined responsibilities, according to TGSWREIS secretary V.S. Alagu Varshini, is to nurture students for the future.

Nurturing real-world leadership

“This isn’t just about food management, it’s about nurturing real-world leadership. Our students are learning to manage systems, lead teams, and uphold standards, all within the structured environment of their schools,” she said.

“These duties and responsibilities are not burdensome or affect one’s academics. On average, a student in an assigned month would spend an hour per day on these duties. So, it is 30 hours of life learning in a holistic environment,” she clarified.

The duties

For instance, diet managers, who are Class 10 students, ensure delivery of provisions and perishables from the storage to kitchen, they will also check the quality of ingredients, maintain the register, place indent, and call the Phone Mitra helpline in case of any shortage. The diet managers are also the only key holder of the storage room, and even teachers cannot enter in the absence of him/her.

Similarly, mess monitors, who are Class 8 and 9 students will check if all the cooking and help staff are present, cleanliness of vessels and the cooking area, and their overall work is monitored by night stay teachers.

Hygiene monitors from Class 11 will inspect the kitchen, the dining and hand wash areas and supervise efficient waste management.

Ms. Alagu Varshini, as per the scheme design, directed specific timings and batches for the three roles. Additionally, the 33 students assigned each month will be exempt from academic and extracurricular activities during that work schedule.

Published - May 26, 2025 12:09 pm IST