Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed all government and government-aided schools across the State to constitute new School Management Committees (SMCs) from July 1, following the completion of the tenure of the existing SMCs and School Management and Development Committees (SMDCs) on June 30.
The fresh guidelines have been issued by the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) to strengthen school governance, improve accountability, and increase community participation in school administration.
Under the revised framework, every school will have a single School Management Committee instead of separate SMCs and SMDCs. The committee will also include two dedicated sub-committees including School Building Committee to oversee infrastructure development and maintenance, Academic Committee to monitor teaching, learning outcomes, and academic activities. The move aims to streamline school administration while ensuring greater focus on infrastructure and education quality.
While the size of the School Management Committee will vary according to the school’s student strength, the new guidelines place strong emphasis on community participation. Around 75% of the committee members will be parents or guardians of students studying in the school.
The government has also mandated inclusive representation by ensuring at least 50% women members, representation from SC, ST, OBC, and parents or guardians of Children with Special Needs (CwSN). The inclusive structure aims to make school decision-making more representative and participatory. Schools have been instructed to complete the process within the prescribed timeline latest by July 22. The newly formed SMCs will be responsible for monitoring several key aspects of school functioning, including student attendance, MDM programme implementation, school infrastructure and maintenance, student safety and security and financial management.
The committees will also conduct monthly meetings and maintain proper records of their decisions to ensure transparency and accountability. According to the government, the new School Management Committee framework has been introduced to strengthen grassroots participation in school governance.
The initiative aligns with the objectives of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, with the goal of improving the quality, transparency, and overall functioning of government schools across Odisha.