Rajasthan High Court Issues Directives to Protect Gen Z, Alpha, and Beta

The Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur has taken suo motu cognisance of challenges facing Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and Gen Beta, issuing a series of directions to the state government. Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand banned the sale of high fat, high sugar, and high salt food items in school canteens and within 50 metres of school gates. The court ordered schools to form School Food Safety and Nutrition Committees within four weeks and to display calorie counts and nutritional values on menu boards within eight weeks. Mid day meals must now conform to FSSAI balanced diet guidelines.

Beyond nutrition, the court expressed concern over excessive screen time and the potential erosion of basic learning skills due to artificial intelligence. While acknowledging the importance of digital learning, the bench stressed the need to preserve handwriting, book reading, and independent thinking. The court also addressed the issue of repeated paper leaks, noting their negative impact on student mental health and public confidence in the examination system.

Further directives include addressing infrastructure deficiencies in rural schools, such as vacant teacher posts and lack of drinking water. District collectors must conduct surprise inspections and submit reports within eight weeks. Additionally, the court asked the state and central governments to create plans addressing the education employment gap, social security for gig workers, and data privacy. Amici curiae have been appointed to assist the court, and the matter will be placed before the acting chief justice for further listing.