Regulations 4 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Regulations 4 to 6 of the School Food Regulations, 2020 promote balanced diets on campus, restrict the advertising and sale of foods high in saturated fat, trans-fat, added sugar or sodium to school children, and set up monitoring by the School Authority, the State Food Authority and a sub-committee. The Schedule gives the menu guidance.
The text is read as amended up to 4 September 2020 (the Regulations as notified; FSSAI lists no amendment as at 2 October 2026). FSSAI publications are reference copies and the Gazette text prevails. Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in. Food brands and canteen operators selling near schools can get a review of their promotions under FSSAI compliance support.
No person may advertise, market or sell food high in saturated fat, trans-fat, added sugar or sodium in a school campus or within fifty meters of the school gate in any direction (regulation 5(1)). The Schedule sorts school menu foods into three groups, the last being foods that are not to be made available in the school or hostel. Regulation 5(1) and regulation 3(5) start only from a date the Food Authority notifies.
Regulation 4: promoting safe food and balanced diets
- 4(1) The Food Authority or State Food Authority shall encourage schools to adopt a comprehensive programme to promote safe food and balanced diets and meet specified benchmarks to convert the campus into an "Eat Right Campus", focused on safe food and a balanced diet, local and seasonal food and no food waste.
- 4(2) The School Authority shall encourage consumption of a safe and balanced diet in the canteen, mess or kitchen, based on guidance from "Dietary guidelines for Indians – A Manual" issued by the National Institute of Nutrition and other expert institutions or authorities.
- 4(3) The School Authority shall ensure that food business operators supplying prepared school meals are identified, and that the foods served or sold follow the broad guidelines in the Schedule and the directions of the Food Authority or the State Commissioner of Food Safety.
- 4(4) The School Authority may engage nutritionists, dietitians, nutrition associations or seek parental support in drafting the menu periodically.
- 4(5) Crèches or day cares for infants or children up to the age of twenty-four months are also expected to serve safe and balanced diets. (The definition of "school" in regulation 2 speaks of twenty-two months; the text is read as printed.)
Regulation 5: marketing, advertising and selling to children
Regulation 5(1) is the headline rule: no person shall advertise, market, sell or offer for sale, or permit the sale of, food products high in saturated fat, trans-fat, added sugar or sodium in the school campus or to school children in an area within fifty meters from the school gate in any direction. The text expressly extends the bar to supply without charge. This sub-regulation comes into force only from the date the Food Authority notifies (see regulation 1(2)). The Regulations print no list of products and no numerical threshold for "high"; the Schedule only calls the category "food products high in saturated fat or trans-fat or added sugar or sodium".
Regulation 5(2) applies when food business operators market foods to children in school premises or campus. They shall:
- (a) offer premiums and incentives (toys, trading cards, apparel, club memberships, contests, reduced-price specials or coupons) only with foods and meals that are not high in those nutrients; and
- (b) use sponsorship of sporting, school and other events for children only with food that is not high in them.
Regulation 5(3) requires operators to support balanced eating and not to market, sell or give away such foods anywhere on school campuses, including through:
| Clause | Channel |
|---|---|
| (a) | Logos, brand names, spokes-characters, product names or other marketing on or in vending machines; books, curricula and other educational materials; school supplies; posters; textbook covers; and school property such as scoreboards, signs, athletic fields, buses and buildings |
| (b) | Educational incentive programmes that provide food as a reward |
| (c) | Direct sale of such food |
| (d) | Samples given away, or coupons |
| (e) | School fundraising activities |
The related duties of the School Authority in regulation 3(5) to (7) (no sale on the premises, the entrance-gate warning board and no advertisement banner or wallpaper on school computers) are explained in the first article of the series. Wider advertising law is in our article on section 24 of the Act.
Regulation 6: monitoring and surveillance
- 6(1) The School Authority shall have a system of regular inspection of premises to ensure that safe, balanced and hygienic food is served. It may appoint a Health and Wellness Ambassador or a Health and Wellness team as nodal persons.
- 6(2) The State Food Authority shall conduct surveillance and periodic inspection of operators covered by the Regulations.
- 6(3) A public authority such as a Municipal Corporation, local body or Panchayat, in an area as may be notified, shall in addition to the State Food Authority ensure compliance with regulation 5(1).
- 6(4) If the School Authority fails without reasonable grounds to comply, the Central or State Food Authority shall take up the matter with the Department of School Education or Affiliation Body, if any, for appropriate action.
- 6(5) The State Level Advisory Committee constituted under regulation 2.1.15 of the Licensing and Registration Regulations, 2011 shall create a sub-committee to monitor implementation and ensure safe and wholesome food for school children.
- 6(6) The sub-committee shall include representatives of the Department of School Education and public health professionals in the field of foods and nutrition, and shall meet at least twice in a year.
- 6(7) The sub-committee shall recommend an indicative list of food groups and preparations to be served or sold in the school canteen, mess or kitchen of the State, based on local diets and on the Schedule.
The Schedule: general guidance
The Schedule (see regulations 4(3) and 6(7)) opens with general guidance: meal-times in schools are mandatory; safe drinking water is provided to all students without charge; a variety of foods across the week in a cereal-protein combination and a micronutrient-rich meal; whole grains, pulses, millets and foods of animal origin such as milk and eggs, with fresh, seasonal and local produce; cooking oil or ghee in moderation and no use of re-heated fats and oils; and fortified wheat flour, rice, milk, edible oil and double fortified salt may be used, strictly adhering to the Fortification of Foods Regulations, 2018.
It then sorts foods into three rows:
| Serial | Inclusion in menu | Examples as printed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Always a part of the menu: 75-80% of the foods should belong to this category | Cereals, millets and pulses; milk, milk products, egg, meat and fish; fruits and vegetables; oils, fats, nuts and oilseeds; processed or cooked foods such as freshly made soup, porridge, idli, upma, poha, dhokla |
| 2 | To be eaten occasionally, in small portions and reduced frequency (e.g., once in a week) | Desserts such as ice-creams; packed foods such as cheese and canned vegetables; bakery products such as white breads and biscuits; packaged soups and juices and malt-based beverages |
| 3 | Not to be made available in the school, hostel, etc. | Food products high in saturated fat or trans-fat or added sugar or sodium |
The Schedule's footnote says these lists are illustrative only.
An invented example
Sunrise Beverages sponsors an inter-school sports day with banners on the school bus and a stall of sugary drinks at the gate. If the drinks are high in added sugar, regulation 5(1) would bar the stall within fifty meters of the gate, and regulation 5(3)(a) would bar branding on the bus. Sponsoring the event only with a food that is not high in these nutrients is permitted by regulation 5(2)(b). Because regulation 5(1) starts from a notified date, the company should check whether that date has been notified.
Need help with campus marketing rules?
Brands that sell through canteens, vending machines or kiosks near schools should check each channel against regulation 5. Our FSSAI compliance support team can help review the promotion plan, the product range and the labels. Street vendors near schools may also like our guide to FSSAI compliance for street food vendors.
Key takeaways
- HFSS foods may not be advertised, marketed or sold on campus or within fifty meters of the school gate (regulation 5(1)), from the date the Food Authority notifies.
- Premiums, sponsorship and branding on school property are tied to food that is not high in those nutrients.
- The School Authority inspects regularly; the State Food Authority conducts surveillance.
- A State sub-committee meets at least twice in a year and recommends food groups for the menu.
- The Schedule places 75-80% of the menu in the "always" group.
Read next
- Regulations 1–3: definitions and the School Authority's duties
- Safe Food in Schools Regulations 2020: an overview
- Restrictions on food advertising: section 24
- FSSAI compliance for street food vendors
Disclaimer: Based on the FSSAI regulations named above as consolidated in FSSAI's compendium versions or as published in the Gazette, with the later notifications the article names (consulted on fssai.gov.in on 2-3 October 2026). Later notifications and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.