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Synopsis The Government of India in recent past has initiated several incentive schemes with the objective to provide an inducement to the parents and children of the socially backward and economically poor classes of the society to obtain at least the basic education. The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (Mid-day Meals Scheme) is an incentive scheme that has remained under implementation since 1995-96, to give a boost to the universalization of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously aiming at improvement in the nutritional level of students by providing cooked/ uncooked meal of 100 gms. Of foodgrains per school day free of cost to each child enrolled in class I to V. To examine the effectiveness of the scheme in boosting the basic education, the Planning Commission, Government of India commissioned the author to carry out an in-depth study with the particular focus on: (i) examining the impact of the scheme in increasing enrolment, retention and attendance in primary schools; (ii) assessing the impact of the scheme on the girls and socio-economically poor students; (iii) analyzing the impact of the scheme on the nutritional level of students; (iv) exploring the views of the students, teachers, parents, gram panchayat officials about the scheme and (v) suggesting policy guidelines to make the scheme more effective and result oriented. The findings of the study indicate both of success and failure of the scheme.This book would be very useful to the policy planners, politicians, and researchers who are keen to see India achieving the goal i.e. Universalization of Basic Education.