Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to constitute new School Management Committees (SMCs) in all government and government-aided schools across the state from July 1, introducing a revised governance structure aimed at strengthening community participation and improving the administration of educational institutions.
The move comes as the tenure of the existing School Management Committees (SMCs) and School Management and Development Committees (SMDCs) is scheduled to end on June 30. With the expiry of the current committees, the state government has directed education authorities to initiate the process of forming fresh committees under the new framework.
One Unified Committee for Every School
According to the revised guidelines, every school will now have a single School Management Committee, replacing the existing arrangement of separate School Management Committees and School Management and Development Committees.
The School and Mass Education Department has instructed all District Education Officers-cum-District Project Coordinators (DEO-cum-DPCs) to begin the constitution process immediately to ensure that the new committees become operational from July 1 without disrupting school administration.
The restructuring is aimed at simplifying the management system, reducing duplication of responsibilities, and ensuring better coordination between school authorities, parents, teachers, and the local community.
Two Sub-Committees to Support School Development
While a single School Management Committee will serve as the primary decision-making body, the government has also provided for the formation of two specialized sub-committees in every school.
The School Building Committee will oversee matters related to school infrastructure, maintenance of buildings, repair works, sanitation, and the execution of development projects. Meanwhile, the School Academic Committee will focus on enhancing teaching standards, monitoring student learning outcomes, promoting academic excellence, and supporting various educational activities.
These sub-committees will function under the supervision of the School Management Committee and provide focused attention to key areas of school development.
Committee Size Based on Student Strength
The government has also introduced a student enrolment-based system for determining the size of each School Management Committee.
As per the new guidelines, the number of committee members will vary depending on the total student strength of the respective school. This approach is intended to ensure that larger schools receive broader representation while smaller schools maintain an effective and manageable committee structure.
Greater Role for Parents
One of the most significant features of the new policy is the increased participation of parents in school governance. The guidelines specify that 75 percent of the members of every School Management Committee must be parents or guardians of enrolled students.
The provision is designed to encourage greater community involvement in educational decision-making, strengthen accountability, and ensure that parents play an active role in monitoring school functioning, infrastructure, student welfare, and overall academic performance.
Education experts believe that enhanced parental participation can improve transparency, foster better communication between schools and families, and contribute to improved learning outcomes for students.
Strengthening School Governance
The Odisha government’s latest initiative reflects its broader effort to streamline school administration and promote participatory governance in the education sector. By replacing multiple committees with a unified School Management Committee supported by dedicated sub-committees, the state aims to improve efficiency, strengthen accountability, and accelerate infrastructure and academic development across schools.
The newly constituted committees are expected to begin functioning from July 1, marking the start of a new administrative framework focused on improving the quality of school education and ensuring greater involvement of local communities in the management of educational institutions.
