Odisha revamps School Management Committees to boost accountability and governance in schools

June 29: The Odisha government has issued revised guidelines for the formation of new School Management Committees (SMCs) across all government and government-aided schools in the state, effective from July 1, following the completion of the current SMC and SMDC tenures on June 30, 2026.

As per directions issued by the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA), each school will now function under a single unified SMC. To ensure focused oversight, two dedicated sub-committees—the School Building Committee and the Academic Committee—will be constituted to separately address infrastructure development and academic matters.

The size of each SMC will be determined by student enrolment. Schools with up to 100 students will have 12–15 members, those with 100–500 students will have 15–20 members, and schools with more than 500 students will constitute 20–25 member committees.

The framework places strong emphasis on community participation and inclusivity. Parents or guardians will comprise 75 per cent of the committee, while at least 50 per cent of the total members will be women. Adequate representation has also been ensured for SC, ST, OBC, and Children with Special Needs categories.

A structured timeline has been laid out for implementation. Parent-teacher meetings and the selection or election process will be conducted between July 1 and 15, with SMCs to be formally constituted by July 17. Consolidated data and resolutions are required to be submitted to OSEPA by July 22.

The committees will be entrusted with monitoring key aspects of school functioning, including student attendance, mid-day meal implementation, infrastructure maintenance, safety standards, financial oversight, and execution of government education schemes. Monthly meetings and proper record-keeping have been made mandatory.

Officials said the initiative is aimed at deepening community engagement in school management, improving transparency, and strengthening accountability in the education system, in alignment with the Right to Education Act, National Education Policy 2020, and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.