Over 100 students ate midday meal at Kota school. Two hours later, 21 land in hospital

Over 100 students ate midday meal at Kota school. Two hours afterwards, 21 land in hospital The students, from Classes 1 to 8 complained of nausea, vomiting, stomach aches and dizziness concerning two hours after the meal was served.

Key points

• 3 min read Jaipur Updated: Aug 25, 2026 05: 13 AM IST.
• Of the 110 students present out of the 130 enrolled at the school, 21 were taken to hospitals in Kota.
• District Education Officer (Elementary) Roop Singh Meena visited the hospital to assess the children's conditions and monitor their recovery.
• Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar in Kota to meet the children in the hospital.
• The mother of one of the affected students remarked, My son Rahul, a Class 4 student, felt dizzy after eating the pumpkin curry and collapsed.

Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar in Kota to meet the children in the hospital. (Express photo).

At least 27 children fell ill after eating midday meal at the government-run Poonia Deoria School in Kota's Ranpur area on Monday, prompting authorities to order an inquiry into the cause of the illness.

Of the 110 students present out of the 130 enrolled at the school, 21 were taken to hospitals in Kota. While four were taken to a private hospital, 17 were admitted to the government-run New Medical College Hospital. All the children are now stable, authorities stated. Bihar students accidentally fed detergent instead of salt, 34 in hospital.

School principal Chandra Prakash remarked the school had been dismissed and students were preparing to leave when a number of of them began to complain of uneasiness. Those with severe symptoms were rushed to Kota for treatment.

Looking at the seriousness of the case and facing flak from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) lately for the condition of administration schools in Rajasthan, Education Minister Madan Dilawar rushed to Kota from Jaipur in the evening to review the situation.

Meanwhile, the mother of one of the affected students remarked, "My son Rahul, a Class 4 student, felt dizzy after eating the pumpkin curry and collapsed. He managed to come home, but his condition deteriorated rapidly, so we brought him to the dispensary and then to a hospital in Kota." She asserted no teacher or school staff accompanied them to the medical facility.

He confirmed that while 27 students documented discomfort, the majority are in stable condition and under observation, with only four to five requiring formal admission.

For context, the official remarked an inquiry has been initiated to ascertain the cause of the illness.

He remarked the midday meal was prepared and supplied by Annapurna Sahakari Samiti to eight or nine schools and all students consumed the same food, but other children have not complained of any illness. The samiti additionally supplies food to around 70 other schools.

He remarked it is too early to conclusively state that the meal may be the sole cause of the illness. Authorities are examining whether extreme heat, humidity, or local water contamination contributed to the incident.

Medical teams have been deployed to the school, and formal conclusions await official laboratory and medical test reports, he continued.

According to Dr Mayank, the attending medical officer, the primary symptom documented by the students was vomiting, with most children experiencing one to two episodes. All admitted children are at present in stable condition with normal vital signs.

For context, the medical team has administered symptomatic treatment to manage vomiting and discomfort. A detailed report regarding the incident and medical findings has been forwarded to the hospital superintendent.

While the precise cause of the illness remains under investigation, health authorities are monitoring the situation to determine if contaminated food or water triggered the sudden outbreak. – With PTI inputs.

For now, over 100 students ate midday meal at Kota school. Two hours later, remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.