Comparative Study: School Management Committee

Introduction:
Education without the active participation of the community is considered a one-sided activity. It
becomes an activity of supply model not that of the demand model. Education, through a social
activity, has significant economic implications. Therefore, the economic growth of a country, to a
large extent, depends on the growth of its educational system, which in turn depends on the degree
of participation of the community.
Community participation in educational management no doubt leads to stakeholders’ participation
in decision-making and management of schooling activities at the school level. It makes educational
management much more democratic and contextual which resources for good governance.
Without community involvement it would be difficult to improve equity, equality and quality of
education.
Section 21 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 mandates the formation of School Management
Committees (SMCs), which are elected bodies at the school level that monitor functioning and
oversee the utilisation of grants. SMC plays an important role in accomplishing the goals of RTE Act.
The Right to Free & Compulsory Education Act 2009 provides a justiciable legal framework that
entitles all children between the ages of 6-14 years free and compulsory admission, attendance and
completion of elementary education. Community plays an important role in education system. The
Right to Education Act provides various opportunities to community members for participation.
School Management Committee (SMC) is a form of community interaction and involvement in
school functioning. The idea behind the formulation of SMC is to involve communities to take an
active role in the planning, implementation and monitoring of developmental programmes for the
school.
The School Management Committee shall perform the following functions, namely: -
a) Monitoring the working of the school;
b) Preparing and recommend school development plan;
c) Monitoring the utilization of the grants received from the appropriate Government or local
authority or any source; and
d) Performing such other functions as may be prescribed.

Statement of the Problem:

The analyzation is stated as “Comparative study on School Management Committee of different
states in India”

Objectives of the study:

(I) To study the roles and functions of the SMC in the school management and
improvement.
(II) To study that how many states allow the participation of students of the school as the
member in the committee.
(III) To study the different stakeholders included in the committee of each state.
Findings, Conclusions and Suggestions:
The following conclusions were drawn based on analysis and interpretation of data:
Strengths
(I) In the process of formation of SMCs, the female representation is according to the
norms of the RTE Act, 2009.
(II) Most of the elected SMC members are energetic and young.
(III) Participation of categories like schedule casts, schedule tribes and other backward
classes is of satisfactory level and in accordance with the guidelines of the RTE Act,
2009.
(IV) Majority of SMC members are educated.
(V) The process of formation of SMCs is completely as per norms of the RTE Act, 2009 in all
schools and is democratic in nature. The process is completed well in time i.e. in the
month of April in every school
(VI) Majority of SMC members are aware of the post and position held by them in the SMC.
(VII) 40% of the SMC chairpersons are women which show that women are also leading the
SMCs and are not lagging in this context.
(VIII) Participation level of SMCs in co-curricular activities is very high. SMCs fully support the
schools in sports and cultural activities and providing help to any extent in school
activities.
(IX) Due to SMCs’ support in sports and cultural activities students from some schools have
participated in the National games in the year 2013.
(X) Most of the schools are well equipped with the facilities like toilets, electricity, drinking
water, and sports equipment.

Constraints/ Weaknesses
(I) SMC members are not aware about the purpose behind the formation of School
Management committees.
(II) Some of the SMC members are not even aware that they are the members of the
executive committee i.e. they don’t know the difference between SMC members and
the executive committee members.
(III) School Management Committees are not aware of accountability of executive
committee.
(IV) One of the major constraint or weakness of SMC is that its role in the preparation of
School Development Plan (SDP) is negligible. Very few SMC members know about their
active involvement in the making of such plan.
(V) Lack of support from the administrative authorities frustrates the committee
members.
(VI) Non-availability of teachers in some schools is a matter of grave concern since it is
adversely affecting the study of the students.
(VII) Non-availability of the playgrounds in most of the schools is also a matter of concern so
far as sports facilities are concerned.
(VIII) Although there is appropriate representation for the women, but their role is just
attending the SMC meetings and they are not actively participating in the discussion of
agendas or other activities.
 (IX) Since SMC members have no academic expertise hence they cannot help the teachers
in improving teaching learning processes in the schools.
(X) One of the major weaknesses is that the participation of local bodies in the
development and improvement of school is not as per the guidelines of the RTE Act,
2009.
(XI) Also, the one-year duration of SMC in the schools of some of the states is one of the
major weaknesses.
(XII) There is lack of management skills in SMC members or lack of planning tools to help
the school development planning better.
Challenges:
(I) Quality of education and overall development of schools is one of the main challenges
before the School Management committees.
(II) Capacity building of the SMC members is also one of the main challenges.
(III) Non-participation of SMC members in making School development plan and execution
thereof is not as expected in the RTE Act, 2009.
(IV) Functional linkages of committees with Local bodies are very weak.
(V) Improvement of teaching learning processes in the schools on the part of the SMCs is
also weak.
(VI) Enrolment trend in Government upper primary schools shows continuous drop which
is one of the major challenge before the SMCs.

Suggestions for further improvement/strengthening of SMCs:

Some Suggestions were also given by the SMC members for the smooth functioning of SMC.

They are: -

A. Increase in number of members of SMC: The members of the SMC should be increased, and more
community members should be involved in the meetings.
B. Proper training: The members need training to know their roles and responsibilities as members of
SMC. The training will help them to understand their importance as a SMC member and they can
play an active role in the meetings. More involvement of all the members: With the training and
awareness, it is also important for members to participate in the meeting more prominently.
C. Plan of discussion should be made in advance: Agenda of the meetings should be decided in
advance (other than the emergency cases) so that the members can come prepared for the
meeting and contribute with their best efforts.
D. Organised meetings: The information regarding the meeting should be given in an organised
manner. Dates should be fixed for the meetings, preferably holidays, so that the members can
attend meetings.
E. Equal opportunity should be given to all the members: All the members should be given chance to
raise their opinions in the meetings.
F. Involvement of more resourceful persons in the meeting: SMC should include more resourceful
members, who have contacts in the society. They can help in solving the problems at
administrative levels.
G. Lack of awareness of the members: SMC members said that due to the lack of awareness about the
technical issues related to school, they feel alienated in the meetings. Along with that 92% of
members have not attended any training related to the role of SMC members. They are not clear
of their responsibilities as a SMC member.
 Further Analysis
Participation of SMC members in meetings:
It is important to note that the types of participation vary, depending on the purpose of
participation and the actual power devolved to the community.
According to head teachers, SMC meetings were regular in many schools. Head teachers of 44
schools reported that the meetings were conducted frequently i.e. more than 8 times in a year.
There was a difference between the opinions of SMC members and head teachers with respect to
the frequency of SMC meetings as well as the issues discussed in these meetings.
According to the SMC members, meetings were less frequent than head teachers claimed, and
discussions often focussed on the utilisation of funds and the school development grant which is
given to each school. Head teachers reported that in some schools, discussion focused on quality
and school activities as well as school infrastructure.
Head Teacher’s Report of contribution and support of SMCs:

Rajnandgaon Rewa Dindori

Frequency of meetings in last year:
1-5 times 14 (16%) 4 (5) -
6-8 times 3 (3) 3 (3) -
more than 8 times 9 (10) 12 (14) 23 (26)
Issues discussed in SMC meetings:
Expenditure related
5 (6) - -
Issues
Quality and school
13 (15) 4 (5) 1 (1)
activities
Infrastructure related
3 (3) 2 (2) -
Issues
Others 7 (8) 13 (15) 22 (25)
Type of contribution:

Financial Contribution 4 (5) - -

Others 12 (14) 5 (6) -

No Contribution 10 (11) - 23 (26
Note: Total no. of Head Teachers/In charge is 88. Figures in brackets indicate percentage. Other
contributions include providing cooperation and suggestions, physical support, help with mid-day meals
and admission.

There were variations in the opinions of SMC members as well as school heads located in different
schools in three different areas. For example, in Dindori, 35% out of 23 SMCs reported that they
discussed the utilisation of funds without specifying the item on which the fund was utilised
compared to 10% and 15% respectively in Rewa and Rajnandgaon.
Only four schools in Rajnandgaon SMC could provide details of the financial contribution to the
schools. No other SMCs in other schools in entire study area could provide details of any financial
support to the schools indicating that they were unaware of these.
The head teachers also reported the kind of contribution provided by the SMCs. In Rewa, head
teachers in only five schools could report the contribution of SMCs. In Dindori, most of these
SMCs reportedly did not have any contribution (Table 1). SMC members in only one school in
Dindori discussed various issues regarding development of schools. In the majority of schools, a
wide range of issues related to children’s education were discussed.
It is understood that the degree of participation of SMCs varies considerably from school to school
and across the clusters and that this is likely to have an impact on school functioning.

Participation of children:
Participation of children as being a member of the committee boosts the decision making, as the
discussion on the issues are related to children and their participation makes it have a fair
conclusion. Children’s option shall also be heard. At the end of the day, it will be them who will
have to follow the rules made by the SMCs which affects their upbringing. Almost every state’s
major participation is from the Parents’ or Guardian’s side of the children of the school which is
75% of the composition.
In accordance with the data being collected, there are 16 states which includes the reservation of
children, namely: - Andre Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Tripura. On the
hand, there are 12 states namely, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka,
Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and west Bengal, which do not
allow the children’s participation.

States Reservation of children

Arunachal Pradesh and Maharashtra Two children and one of them may be a girl child

Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat,

8.33% from among local educationists/children; to
Meghalaya, Haryana, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha,
be decided by parents
Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura

One local educationist/student in Executive

Rajasthan
Committee nominated by other members

a) All students of Class 4 and above to be members of

General House
Punjab b) 8% members of the executive committee to be from
local educationists/children; to be decided by children

It can be concluded that Punjab includes the maximum participation of children in the SMC
meetings, making its decision more relevant and practical.

Opinions regarding school functioning:

SMCs were not satisfied with the functioning of some schools where the learning level of children
is very low. This is most common in Rajnandgaon and Rewa clusters. In Rajnandgaon, only 37% of
SMCs reported that they are satisfied with the functioning of the school. In Rewa, where around
59% of the SMCs reported satisfaction with the functioning of the school, the performance of the
students was very low. However, most SMCs (83%) in the poorest and most remote cluster of
Dindori expressed their satisfaction regarding school functioning despite it being the poorest
performing cluster on the CREATE competency tests.
Responses of SMCs regarding enrolment, drop out and never enrolment;

Response of SMCs Actual number and % of children

Cluster
Some
All children Never
children not Total SMCs Drop out Total
enrolled Enrolled
enrolled

Rajnand gaon 21 (78) 3 (11) 27 106 (7) 50 (3) 3,054

Rewa 29 (100) 0 29 82 (7) 78 (7) 2,248

Dindori 6 (26) 5(22) 23 103 (17) 153 (27) 1,129
Note: Figures in the bracket Indicates percentage

These misjudgements by SMCs may be because they are not aware of the situation in their
schools and/or because they are not allowed to participate in monitoring of schooling activities.
They appear often to be unaware of the poor performance of children and the type of facilities
and teaching that should be offered. SMCs need a greater awareness of relevant standards and
possible interventions when educational provision is of a poor standard.
SMC members gave various reasons for a lack of satisfaction with schools:
1. lack of classrooms;
2. teachers and teaching aids;
3. teachers’ ineffectiveness; and
4. lack of teacher’s interest in children’s studies
 Conclusion
We need to contextualize violence in the broader sense. Addressing violence within school will be
a significant necessary step to preventing it, but it will not be a sufficient one unless we have
grounded understanding of local realities that exist beyond the school. Schools form only a part—
though very significant one—of holistic social reality.
So, limiting our policies to the schools alone, and understanding schools in isolation will not serve
too much. What we need the most is the framework to understand how violence and its prevention
in the school contexts are related to its dynamic manifestations in the familial and societal levels.
Given the specificity of social reality, the policies and programs in preventing violence in schools
should be:
1. culturally sensitive and specific; and
2. in line with the policies and programs aimed to eliminating all forms of violence in society at
large.
It can be concluded that every state of India has its own formation and composition of the School
Management Committee. A lot of differences is expected in each state’s functioning.
Himachal Pradesh being the hilly state, therefore non-availability of the proper land for construction
of school buildings/playgrounds etc. is one of the major challenges. In accordance to its RTE Rules,
the SMC shall be held at least ‘once’ in a year and at max. once in four months. This great expansion
in the duration of the meetings of the committee reduces its efficiency. Also, referring to the data
collected, the reservation for students, women and schedule caste/schedule tribe is not mentioned.
These challenges faced by Himachal Pradesh, makes its functioning of SMC weaker than other
states.
On the other hand, the state of Punjab has comparatively a much better functioning and
composition of the school management committee out of all states. Although the RTE rules does
not mention about the exact number of composition of the committee, it is observed that the SMC
of Punjab involves the participation of its members from a varied category like male as well as
females, teachers as well as students, Parents/Guardians of children belonging to the general
category as well as the reserved category (i.e. Schedule castes / schedule tribes / OBCs). Punjab also
has the maximum number of students’ participation than other states.
The Frequency of Meetings of the committees:

States The Meetings to be held at least;

Andre Pradesh Once in two months
Arunachal Pradesh Once a month
Assam Once a month
Bihar Once a month
Chandigarh Once a month
Chhattisgarh Once a month
Delhi Once in two months
Goa Once a month
Gujarat Once a month
Haryana Once a month
Himachal Pradesh Once in four months
Jharkhand Once a month
Karnataka No mention
Kerala Once in two months
Madhya Pradesh Once a month
Maharashtra Once a month
Manipur Once in three months
Meghalaya Once a month
Mizoram Once in two months
Nagaland Once in three months
Odisha Once a month
Punjab Once a month
Rajasthan Once a month
Sikkim Once a month
Tamil Nadu Once a month
Tripura Once in two months
Uttarakhand Once a month
Uttar Pradesh Once in two months
West Bengal Once in two months
 Reservation for Reservation for
Reservation for Reservation for
State Composition Disadvantaged Parents / Special Duties
women Children
group Guardians
One
parent/guardian
each from a) 24 out of 27 a) Arrange to demonstrate learning
SC/ST/OBC/Musli members b) outcomes in reading, writing,
Two children
m Minority whose Reservation for arithmetic and comprehension b)
and one of
Andre Pradesh 27 Members No mention children study in parents/guardians Reduce teacher and student
them may be a
Class 1,2,3, and 4 of child securing absenteeism c) Can hire teachers
girl child
and have secured highest and lowest temporarily in case of delay in filling
the highest marks marks in all classes of vacancies
in the previous
academic session
8.33% from
among local
Arunachal educationists/c
No mention No mention No mention 75% No mention
Pradesh hildren; to be
decided by
parents
a) Salaries of teaching/non-teaching
staff shall be determined on the
basis of strength of absentee
3 among 9 statement approved by SMC which
Assam No mention 50% members among 9 members No mention will monitor teacher attendance (left
parents early/came late) b) Application for
casual leave to be accepted by Dy.
Inspector of Schools/BEO only if
endorsed by SMC
a) 3 members among 6 6 members;
from unreserved a) SC: 1-member
category b) 1 member
b) ST: 1 member
out of 2 reserved for
Bihar 14 members c) Extremely 12 members No mention No mention
Extremely Backward
Class c) 1 member out Backward Class: 2
of 2 reserved for d) Backward
backward classes classes: 2
 Reservation for Reservation for
Reservation for Reservation for
State Composition Disadvantaged Parents / Special Duties
women Children
group Guardians
8.33% from
among local
educationists/c
Chhattisgarh No mention 50% No mention 75% hildren; to be No mention
decided by
parents in the
committee
Proportionate
Delhi 16 members 50% 75% No mention No mention
representation
8.33% from
among local
educationists/c
Goa Min 12 members No mention No mention 75% hildren; to be No mention
decided by
parents in the
committee
8.33% from
Proportionate
among local
representation to
educationists/
parents of
Gujarat 12 members 50% 75% children; to be No mention
Disadvantaged
decided by
Groups/ Weaker
parents/
Sections
guardians.
a) At least one
member 8.33% from
a) 1-300 students:
belonging to SC among local
12 members b)
and Backward 75%; nominated by educationists/c
301-500 students:
Haryana 50% Class categories all hildren; to be No mention
16 members c)
b) At least one parents/guardians decided by
501+ students: 20
parent of child parents/guardia
members
with special ns in the SMC
needs
 Reservation for Reservation for
Reservation for Reservation for
State Composition Disadvantaged Parents / Special Duties
women Children
group Guardians
Can hire teachers temporarily in case
Himachal of delay in filling of vacancies at
Not available Not available Not available Not available Not available
Pradesh remunerations specified by the State
Govt
Proportional 75% or 12
Jharkhand 16 Members 50% No mention No mention
representation members
13 members or SMC can hire teachers/instructors
Karnataka 16 members 50% No mention No mention
75% temporarily where there is a need
a) Arrange to monitor learning
outcomes as prescribed by the
750 students - 20 academic authority Monitor student
Kerala 50% Representation 75% No mention
members and teacher absenteeism. b) Can
hire teachers temporarily in case of
delay in filling of vacancies
One among
parents/guardian
s of child
75%, Primary
belonging to each
School: Parents/
category: SC/
Guardians of
a) Primary School: ST/OBC who have
children who have
Madhya 16 members b) secured highest
No mention secured highest No mention No mention
Pradesh Secondary School: marks in
marks in classes 1-4
18 members respective
and 5-7 for primary
category in
and middle schools
Classes 1-4 and 5-
respectively
7 for primary and
middle schools
respectively
2 members (at
75%; to be elected
Adequate least one girl)
Maharashtra No mention 50% by the No mention
representation with no voting
parents/guardians
rights
 Reservation for Reservation for
Reservation for Reservation for
State Composition Disadvantaged Parents / Special Duties
women Children
group Guardians
One (8.33%)
Manipur No mention 50% No mention 75% local No mention
educationist
8.33%; to be
Meghalaya No mention No mention No mention 75% decided by No mention
parents
8.33% from
among local
educationists/c
Mizoram No mention No mention No mention 75% No mention
hildren; to be
decided by
parents
SMC to be the first level of grievance
Nagaland Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable
redressal for teachers
8.33% for local
educationists/
children; to be
Odisha No mention No mention No mention 75% No mention
decided by
parents in the
committee
1) General House-
a) All students of
one parent of Class 4 and above
each student, to be members of
teachers, staff, General House
representative of 50% of the members 75% of the b) 8% members
PRI 2) Executive from among members of of the executive
Punjab No mention No mention
Committee: a) < parents/ guardians Executive committee to be
100 students: 12 (75%) Committee from local
members b) 101- educationists/chil
250 students: 24 dren; to be
decided by
members c) > 250
children
student
 Reservation for Reservation for
Reservation for Reservation
State Composition Disadvantaged Parents / Special Duties
women for Children
group Guardians
a) Committee: All
parents/
guardians, all
teachers, elected
person of local One local
authority where educationist/stu
11 members in
school is situated, dent in
50% of Executive Appropriate Executive Grievance redressal for
Rajasthan other elected Executive
Committee representation Committee elected children/parents
persons of local Committee
by SMC
authority residing nominated by
in same other members
village/ward b)
Executive
Committee: 15
members
8.33% for local
educationists/
children; to be SMC will be the first level of
Sikkim No mention No mention No mention 75%
decided by grievance redressal for teachers
parents in the
Committee
Proportionate 8.33% from
representation to among local
Not less than 9 parents of educationists/c
Tamil Nadu 50% 75% No mention
members disadvantaged hildren; to be
groups/weaker decided by
sections parents
Proportionate
representation to 8.33%; to be
parents of decided by
Tripura 12-24 members No mention 75% No mention
disadvantaged parents in the
groups/weaker committee
sections
 Reservation for Reservation for
Reservation for Reservation for
State Composition Disadvantaged Parents / Special Duties
women Children
group Guardians
a) Teacher Absenteeism: SMC with
approval of at least 30% members
Executive Council shall inform the deputy BEO for
a) 0-60 children: 8 necessary action against
parents b) 61-180 absent/irregular teachers which shall
50% in the Executive One each from
Uttarakhand children: 10 No mention take action and report back to SMC.
Council SC/ST/OBC/CWSN
parents c) 180+ If SMC is not satisfied, it can appeal
children: 12 to DEO or SCPCR. b) In remote areas,
parents SMC can make a recommendation to
DEO not to transfer any
extraordinary teacher
a) 11 out of 15
members b) Min
One each from
Uttar Pradesh 15 members 50% one parent of child No mention No mention
SC/ST/OBC/EWS
from each class of
the school
Among
parents/guardian
s: a) Class 1: One
SC out of total
two b) Class 2:
One ST out of
total two c) Class
3: One OBC-A and
West Bengal Min 12 members 50% One SC out of 10 Members No mention No mention
total three d)
Class 4: One OBC-
B out of total
three e)
Proportionate
representation
for the minorities
(if any)