UGC directs universities to ban junk food on campus

The University Grants Commission has issued a notice to vice-chancellors of all universities, directing them to ban junk food on college premises.

This comes as a reminder of the advisory issued in November 2016 for banning junk food in colleges to 'set new standards for healthy food and reduce obesity levels in young learners'.

The UGC, in the advisory, stated that banning junk food in colleges would set new standards for healthy food habits, and subsequently instill a sense of healthy eating and awareness on the same.

UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain noted that although the directive wasn't compulsory, colleges were expected to comply with the guidelines and help create awareness regarding the ill effects of junk food and the impact of the consumption of the same.

"UGC, in the interest of the health of all the students of the universities and colleges, issued an advisory on August 21, which is a reinforcement of an earlier advisory issued on November 10, 2016, where we asked them to sensitise students about the ill effects of junk food and to adopt healthy food practices. It's not mandatory, but we expect all the universities and colleges to follow it," he said.