Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Maharashtra School Faces Notice Over ₹50 Methi Tiffin Fine
A school in Maharashtra reportedly fined a student ₹50 for bringing food that was not allowed under its tiffin rules.
The food mentioned in the headline was methi.
Parents complained about the policy.
The local civic education department sent the school a show-cause notice.
This means the school must explain its decision.
The education officer said schools cannot control food brought from home or charge money for it.
The school said its rules were meant to respect Jain dietary sensitivities.
It also said the rules had been given to parents earlier and might be reviewed.
The MBMC education department issued a show-cause notice to a Maharashtra school over its tiffin rules.
The school reportedly imposed a ₹50 penalty for repeated violations, including bringing prohibited food such as methi.
Education Officer Sulabha Vatare said schools cannot restrict students’ home food or impose monetary penalties for it.
The school said its guidelines addressed Jain dietary and religious sensitivities and had been shared with parents at the start of the academic year.
The school must respond to the notice before the civic body decides on further action.
- Who
- A Maharashtra school, its students and parents, and the MBMC education department, including Education Officer Sulabha Vatare.
- What
- The civic body issued a show-cause notice over tiffin restrictions and a reported ₹50 penalty for repeated violations.
- When
- The guidelines were communicated at the start of the academic year; the notice followed a parent complaint.
- Where
- At a school in Maharashtra; the specific locality is not stated.
- Why
- The civic body said schools cannot impose dietary restrictions or monetary penalties on food students bring from home, while the school cited Jain religious and dietary sensitivities.
Civic Authorities and Parents
School Management
Food restrictions and penalties
Civic Authorities and Parents
The civic education department said schools cannot impose dietary curbs on students or levy monetary penalties for food brought from home. Parents raised concerns about the policy.
School Management
The school said its tiffin guidelines were communicated at the beginning of the academic year and that the ₹50 amount was a disciplinary measure, not a fee.
Reason for the guidelines
Civic Authorities and Parents
The notice cited students’ fundamental rights and legal and government directives as grounds for warning the school.
School Management
The school said the rules were intended to respect the religious and dietary sensitivities of the Jain community and indicated that the policy would be reviewed.
- Reported penalty
- ₹50 for repeated tiffin-rule violations
- Authority issuing notice
- MBMC education department
- Education officer
- Sulabha Vatare
- School’s stated rationale
- Respecting Jain religious and dietary sensitivities
- Legal references in notice
- Students’ fundamental rights, state government directives, and the Right to Education (RTE) Act
- Next step
- The school must submit an explanation before further action is decided