Officials are now thinking of appointing another cook, using the boycotters’ argument that Phool Kumari’s cooking isn’t good and is also unhygienic. This, when most officials who have visited the school in the last five days, found nothing wrong with the meals.

District Magistrate Chandra Bhanu had previously said some people were inciting the students. On Sunday, however, he said: “We have inquired and found that the poor quality of food is a fact. So we will try to concentrate on that issue and find a person who can make better quality food for the children.”

Now the village-level selection committee, which consists of the village pradhan, teachers and parents, will select a cook to replace Phool Kumari. Kaushal Srivastava, in-charge of the block resource centre, said: “We have decided to ask the children, as well as their parents, to give in writing whatever complaints they have against the food, and if a majority complain about the quality of food then we will ask the village committee to make a fresh appointment.”

Children at the two schools had stopped eating mid-day meals the day Phool Kumari was appointed as additional cook. While senior students said her cooking was unhygienic, younger students made no secret of the fact that Phool Kumari’s low caste was the reason behind the boycott.