School Management Committee
School Management Committee
Section 21 of the RTE Act requires every government and aided school to constitute a School Management Committee. At least three-fourths of its members must be parents or guardians of children in that school, and at least half of the members must be women. It is the community's legal handle on the school.
Composition
| Requirement | Provision |
|---|---|
| Parents and guardians | At least 75 per cent of the members |
| Women members | At least 50 per cent of the members |
| Other members | Elected representatives of the local authority, teachers and educationists |
| Disadvantaged groups | Proportionate representation of parents of children from weaker sections |
| Applies to | Government schools and aided schools; not to unaided private schools |
Functions of the SMC
- Monitor the working of the school.
- Prepare and recommend the School Development Plan.
- Monitor the utilisation of grants received from the government or local authority.
- Perform such other functions as may be prescribed.
The School Development Plan is the SMC's central instrument. It estimates class-wise enrolment for the next three years, the number of teachers needed, physical requirements and the funds required, and it is the document the local authority uses to plan for the school.
Why it matters
The SMC turns parents from petitioners into decision-makers. In a village school it is the body that can raise the absence of a teacher, a missing toilet or an irregular mid-day meal in a formal, minuted way. For a new teacher it is also the most direct route to community trust, which is why the Act ties parent meetings under Section 24 and the SMC under Section 21 to the same purpose.
✗ The SMC must have at least half its members as teachers. | ✓ At least three-fourths must be parents or guardians; at least half must be women.
✗ Every school in India must have an SMC. | ✓ The requirement applies to government and aided schools, not to unaided private schools.
संकेत: विद्यालय प्रबंधन समिति में कम से कम 75% सदस्य अभिभावक और कम से कम 50% महिलाएँ; इसका मुख्य काम विद्यालय विकास योजना बनाना है।
The SMC gives one question most cycles, and it is almost always about the two percentages. Fix them as a pair: 75 per cent parents, 50 per cent women. The trap swaps the figures or offers two-thirds instead of three-fourths. The second common item asks for the SMC's main function, where the answer is preparing and recommending the School Development Plan. Note also that unaided private schools are outside this requirement, which is itself an occasional question.
Frequently asked questions
What is the composition of a School Management Committee?
At least three-fourths of the members must be parents or guardians of children studying in that school and at least half must be women, with the remaining places for local authority representatives, teachers and educationists.
What are the functions of the SMC under the RTE Act?
Monitoring the working of the school, preparing and recommending the School Development Plan, monitoring the use of grants received from the government or local authority, and performing other prescribed functions.
Do private unaided schools need an SMC?
No. Section 21 applies to government schools and aided schools. Unaided private schools are not required to constitute a School Management Committee under this provision of the RTE Act.
60-second recap
- Section 21 requires an SMC in every government and aided school.
- At least 75 per cent parents or guardians; at least 50 per cent women.
- Main function: prepare and recommend the School Development Plan.
- The SMC monitors the school's working and the use of grants.
- Unaided private schools are outside this requirement.
Ab isi chapter ke questions CTET Paper 1 mock test me practice karo — RTE Act ke sawaal wahin milenge.