ROLE OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE IN INDIA UNDER RIGHT

TO EDUCATION

By
Church of North India, Synodical Board of Social Services &
Development Links (OPC) Pvt. Ltd.

2018
 Role of School Management Committee in India

When Indian Parliament made education a fundamental right of

Indian citizen, it was very much aware of critical role of parents
in education of their child as well as in performance of
institution for delivering the same, i.e. schools. Accordingly,
Section 21 of the Right to Education Act mandated the
formation of school management committee with three fourth
representations of the parents.

The School Management Committee (SMC), constituted under the Right to Education Act 2009
plays an important role in ensuring accountability in India’s education system, especially in
Government schools. The Act envisions the SMC as a decentralized governance model which
empowers them to keep track and monitor functioning of the schools and oversee that the
school grants are used effectively.
The SMCs consist of representatives of the local authority, parents or guardians of students,
and the principal and teachers of the school. Three-fourths of SMC members must be parents
or guardians and half must be women.
SMCs play a pivotal role in developing the tri-annual School Development Plans and annual
work plans for the schools in every district and subsequently for every state of India. The RTE
Act also highlights the critical role of parents as part of SMCs for developing a sense of
ownership towards good education of their child and for strengthening and improving
performance of schools in India.
Overall, SMCs focus on holistic development of the schools, which not only accounts to ensure
good school infrastructure, but also supervision/monitoring of finance, management, academic
progress of children, with equal participation and say, bringing transparency in India’s
education system.

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 Role of School Management Committee in India

Composition of School Management Committee

As per the “Right to Free and Compulsory Education Rules 2010”:
A School Management Committee shall be constituted in every school, other than an unaided
school, within its jurisdiction, within six months of the appointed date1, and reconstituted every
two years.
(ii) Seventy five percent of the strength of the School Management Committee shall be from
amongst parents or guardians of children
(iii) Provided fifty percent of committee shall be women.
(iv) Provided further that proportionate representation shall be given to the parents or
guardians of the children belonging to disadvantaged group and weaker section.
(v) The remaining twenty five percent of the strength of the School Management Committee
shall be from amongst the following persons
a) one third members from amongst the elected members of the local authority2, to be
decided by the local authority;
b) one third members from amongst teachers from the school, to be decided by the
teachers of the school;
c) one third from amongst local educationists / children in the school, to be decided by the
parents in the Committee.
(vi) To manage its affairs, the School Management Committee shall elect a Chairperson and
Vice Chairperson from among the parent members. The Head teacher of the school or where
the school does not have a head teacher, the senior most teacher of the school shall be the ex-
officio Member-Convener of the School Management Committee.
(vii) Where there are two or more schools in a panchayat, the panchayat president will be the
member of School Management Committee of one of the school remaining schools shall have
ward members as members of the School Management Committee.
(viii) The School Management Committee shall meet at least once a month and the minutes and
decisions of the meetings shall be properly recorded and made available to the public.

1
Date on which Act came into force
2
Municipal corporation, municipal council, zila parishad, panchayat etc. having administrative control over school

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 Role of School Management Committee in India

Functions of School Management Committee:

The School Management Committee shall perform the following functions namely
A. Monitor the functioning of the school.
B. Preparation, recommendation, implementation and monitoring of the School
Development Plan (SDP)
C. Monitoring of utilisation of the grants received from the appropriate Government or Local
authority or any other source.
D. Performance of other function: The School Management Committee shall play such roles
and functions as ordered from time to time.
These functions can be further detailed as following:
Communicate in simple and creative ways to the population in the neighborhood of the school,
the rights of the child as enunciated in the Act as also the duties of the appropriate
government3, local authority, school, parents and guardian.
(i) Communicate in simple and creative ways to the population in the neighborhood of
the school, the rights of the child as per the right to education Act, as also the duties
of the appropriate government, local authority, school, parent and guardian.
(ii) Ensure the regularity and punctuality in attendance by teachers of the school.
(iii) Ensure that teachers hold regular meetings with parents and guardians and apprise
them about the regularity in attendance, ability to learn, progress made in learning
and any other relevant information about the child.
(iv) Ensure that teachers are not burdened with non-academic duties other than those
specified in section 274
(v) Ensure that no teacher shall engage himself or herself in private tuition or private
teaching activity
(vi) Ensure the enrolment and continued attendance of all the children from the
neighborhood of the school.
(vii) Monitor the maintenance of the norms and standards specified in the schedule
(viii) Bring to the notice of the Local Education Authority any deviation from the rights of
the child, in particular mental and physical harassment of the children, denial of
admission and timely provision of free entitlements.

3
State government, Government of union territory or central government for schools owned or controlled by
central government
4
No teacher shall be deployed for any non-educational purpose other than the decennial population census,
disaster relief duties or duties related to elections

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 Role of School Management Committee in India

(ix) Identify the needs, prepare a plan, and monitor the implementation of the
provisions, where a child above six years of age has not been admitted in any school
or though admitted, could not complete his or her Elementary Education, then, he
or she shall be admitted in a class appropriate to his or her age.
(x) Ensure that no child shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses
which may prevent him or her from pursuing and completing the elementary
education.
(xi) Monitor the identification and enrolment of CWSN and mobilize facilities for
education of children with disability, as per equal opportunities, protection and full
participation Act 1995 and ensure their participation in and completion of
Elementary Education.
(xii) Monitor the implementation of the mid-day meal in the school
(xiii) Prepare an annual account of receipts and expenditure of the school. Any money
received by the said committee for the discharge of its functions under this Act, shall
be kept in a separate account to be audited annually.
(xiv) The Annual account should be signed by the chairperson or vice – chairperson and
convener of the said Committee and make available to the local authority within one
month of their preparation
(xv) Every School Management Committee constituted under subsection (1) of section
21 shall prepare a School Development Plan every year in such manner as may be
prescribed.
(xvi) The School Management Committee shall prepare a School Development Plan at
least three months before the end of the financial year in which it is first constituted
under Act.
(xvii) The school development plan shall be a three year plan comprising thee annual sub
plans and shall contain the following details
a) Estimates of class wise enrolment for each year
b) Requirement of number of additional teachers calculated as per the
norms given in schedule (given as annexure 1)
c) Physical requirements of additional infrastructure and equipment, as per
the norms given in schedule
d) Assess financial requirement and needs on basis of above, including for
providing special training facility specified in section Entitlements of
children such as free text books and uniforms, and any other additional
requirement for fulfilling the responsibilities of the school under Act.
(xviii) The School Development Plan shall be signed by the Chairperson or vice chairperson
and convenor of the School Management Committee and submitted to the local
authority before the end of the financial year in which it is prepared.

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 Role of School Management Committee in India

(xix) The school management committee shall identify children requiring special training
and organize such training in the manner prescribed in the Right to Free and
Compulsory Education Rules 2010

-----------

जब ब , ब
वह ब औ ज -
ह व ब व ,
२१ व ब ठ व
ज व - ह

विद्मारम प्रफंध समभति की संयचना

"नन:शुल्क औय अननवामय फार शशऺा का अधधकाय ननमभ २०१०" के अनुसाय:

(i) गैय-सहामता प्राप्त ववद्मारम से शबन्न प्रत्मेक ववद्मारम भें ननमत तायीख5 के छह भास के
बीतय एक ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत का गठन ककमा जाएगा औय प्रत्मेक दो वषय भें उसका
ऩन
ु गयठन ककमा जामेगा।

(ii) ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत की सदस्म सॊख्मा का ऩचहत्तय प्रनतशत फारकों के भाता-वऩताओॊ मा
सॊयऺकों भें से होगा।

(iii) फशते, सशभनत भें ऩचास प्रनतशत भहहरा होगी।

(iv) फशते, वॊधचत सभूह औय कभजोय वगय के फच्चों के भाता-वऩता मा अशबबावकों को आनुऩानतक
प्रनतननधधत्व हदमा जाएगा।

जजस तायीख ऩय अधधननमभ रागू हुआ था

5

5
 Role of School Management Committee in India

(v) ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत की सदस्म सॊख्मा का शेष ऩच्चीस प्रनतशत ननम्नशरखखत व्मजततमों
भें से होगा

(क) स्थानीम प्राधधकायी6 के ननवायधचत सदस्मों भें से एक-नतहाई सदस्म, जजनका चमन स्थानीम
प्राधधकायी द्वाया ककमा जाएगा;

(ख) ववद्मारम के अध्माऩकों भें से एक-नतहाई सदस्म, जजनका चमन ववद्मारम के अध्माऩकों
द्वाया ककमा जाएगा;

(ग) स्थानीम शशऺाववदों मा ववद्मारम के फारकों भें से एक-नतहाई सदस्म, जजनका चमन
ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत भें भाता-वऩताओॊ द्वाया ककमा जाएगा।

(vi) ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत अऩने किमाकराऩों का प्रफॊध कयने के शरए भाता-वऩता सदस्मों भें से
अध्मऺ औय उऩाध्मऺ को ननवायधचत कये गी।

ववद्मारम का प्रधान अध्माऩक, मा जहाॊ ववद्मारम का प्रधान अध्माऩक नहीॊ है , वहाॊ ववद्मारम
का वरयष्ठतभ अध्माऩक, ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत का ऩदे न (एतस-ओकपशशमो) सदस्म-समोंजक
होगा।

(vii) जहाॊ ऩॊचामत भें दो मा दो से अधधक स्कूर हैं, वहाॊ ऩॊचामत अध्मऺ ककसी एक स्कूर की
ववद्मारम प्रफॊधन सशभनत के सदस्म होंगे। शेष स्कूरों भें वाडय के सदस्म ववद्मारम प्रफॊधन
सशभनत के सदस्म होंगे।

(viii) ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत भास भें कभ से कभ एक फाय अऩनी फैठक कये गी औय फैठकों के
कामयवत
ृ (शभनट्स) तथा ववननश्चम (ननणयम) सभधु चत रूऩ से अशबशरखखत (रयकॉडय) ककमे जाएॊगे
औय जनता के शरए उऩरब्ध कयाए जाएॊगे।

6
नगय ननगभ, नगयऩाशरका ऩरयषद, जजरा ऩरयषद, ऩॊचामत इत्माहद जो स्कूर ऩय प्रशासननक ननमॊत्रण यखते हैं

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 Role of School Management Committee in India

विद्मारम प्रफंधन समभति के कामय:

ववद्मारम प्रफॊधन सशभनत ननम्नशरखखत कामों का ऩारन कये गी

क. स्कूर के काभकाज की तनगयानी कयना।

ख. विद्मारम विकास मोजना (एसडीऩी) की िैमायी, मसपारयश, कामायन्िमन औय तनगयानी।

ग. सभचु चि सयकाय, स्थानीम प्राचधकायी मा ककसी अन्म स्रोि से प्राप्ि अनद

ु ान के उऩमोग की
तनगयानी।

घ. अन्म कामों का तनष्ऩादन: विद्मारम प्रफंधन समभति सभम-सभम ऩय आदे श के अनुसाय अन्म
बूमभकाएं औय कामय तनबाएगी।

इन कामों को आगे ननम्नशरखखत रूऩ भें औय ववस्तत

ृ ककमा जा सकता है

(i) अधधननमभ भें मथा प्रनतऩाहदत (फतामे गए) फारक के अधधकायों के साथ ही सभधु चत
सयकाय7, स्थानीम प्राधधकायी, ववद्मारम, भाता-वऩता औय सॊयऺक के कतयव्मों को बी
ववद्मारम के आसऩास की जनसाधायण को सयर औय स्रजनात्भक रूऩ से सॊसूधचत
कयना (आस ऩास के रोगों को सयर बाषा भें फताना)।
(ii) ववद्मारम के शशऺकों की ननमशभत उऩजस्थनत औय सभमफद्धता सुननजश्चत कयना।
(iii) सुननजश्चत कयना कक शशऺक भाता-वऩता औय अशबबावकों के साथ ननमशभत फैठकों
का आमोजन कयते हैं औय उन्हें फच्चे की उऩजस्थनत भें ननमशभतता, सीखने की ऺभता,
सीखने भें प्रगनत औय फच्चे के फाये भें कोई अन्म प्रासॊधगक (जरूयी) जानकायी के फाये
भें फताते हैं।
(iv) सनु नजश्चत कयना कक अध्माऩकों ऩय धाया २७8 भें ववननहदय ष्ट कतयव्मों (फतामे गए
काभ) से शबन्न गैय-शैक्षऺक कतयव्मों (काभ) का बाय ना डारा जाए।
(v) सुननजश्चत कयना कक कोई बी शशऺक खद
ु को ननजी शशऺण (ट्मूशन) मा ननजी
शशऺण गनतववधध भें सॊरग्न न कये ।

केंद्र सयकाय, केंद्र सयकाय द्वाया स्वाशभत्व मा ननमॊत्रत्रत स्कूरों के शरए केंद्र ऺेत्र मा केंद्र सयकाय की सयकाय
7

8
शशऺक को दस वषीम जनगणना, आऩदा याहत मा चन
ु ाव से जड़
ु े कामय के अनतरयतत अन्म कोई कामय नहीॊ हदमा जामेगा

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 Role of School Management Committee in India

(vi) ववद्मारम भें आसऩास के सबी फारकों के नाभाॊकन औय ननयॊ तय उऩजस्थनत को

सनु नजश्चत कयना।
(vii) अनुसूची (अनुरग्नक 1 के रूऩ भें हदमा गमा है ) भें फतामे गए सजन्नमभों औय स्कूर
के भानकों को भॉननटय कयना।
(viii) फारक के अधधकायों से ककसी ववचरन को (फारकों के ककसी अधधकाय का हनन होने
ऩय), ववशेष रूऩ से फारकों के भानशसक औय शायीरयक उत्ऩीडन, प्रवेश से इनकाय
ककए जाने औय नन्शुल्क हकदारयमों के सभमफद्ध उऩफॊध (ननशुल्क सुववधाओॊ का
सभम ऩय न शभरना) को स्थानीम प्राधधकायी की जानकायी भें राना।
(ix) जहाॊ ककसी बी स्कूर भें छह वषय से ऊऩय के फच्चे को बती नहीॊ ककमा गमा है मा
बती तो कयामा गमा ऩय वह अऩनी प्राथशभक शशऺा ऩूयी नहीॊ कय सका, तो उसे उसकी
उम्र के अनस
ु ाय उऩमत
ु त कऺा भें बती कयामा जाए, इसके शरए आवश्मकताओॊ का
ऩता रगाना, मोजना तैमाय कयना औय प्रावधानों के कामायन्वमन को भॉननटय कयना, ।
(x) सनु नजश्चत कयना कक कोई बी फारक ऐसे ककसी बी प्रकाय के शल्
ु क, प्रबाय मा व्मम
का बुगतान कयने के शरए उत्तयदामी नहीॊ होगा जो उसे प्राथशभक शशऺा ऩाने औय उसे
ऩूया कयने से योक सकता है ।
(xi) सीडब्ल्मूएसएन (CWSN – धचल्रेन ववद स्ऩेशर नीड) की ऩहचान औय नाभाॊकन को
भॉननटय कयना औय सभान अवसयों, सुयऺा औय ऩूणय बागीदायी अधधननमभ १९९५ के
अनस
ु ाय अऺभता वारे फच्चों की शशऺा के शरए सवु वधाओॊ को सॊगहठत कयना औय
प्राथशभक शशऺा भें उनकी बागीदायी औय उसे ऩूया कयने को सुननजश्चत कयना।
(xii) ववद्मारमों भें दोऩहय के बोजन के कामायन्वमन को भॉननटय कयना।
(xiii) ववद्मारम की प्राजप्तमों औय व्मम का वावषयक रेखा तैमाय कयना। इस अधधननमभ के
अधीन अऩने कृत्मों का ननवयहन के शरए उतत सशभनत द्वाया प्राप्त ककसी बी धनयाशी
को एक ऩथ
ृ क खाते भें यखा जाएगा, जजसकी वावषयक रूऩ से सॊऩयीऺा की जाएगी।
(xiv) वावषयक रेखाओॊ को उतत सशभनत के अध्मऺ मा उऩाध्मऺ औय समोंजक द्वाया
हस्ताऺरयत ककमा जाना चाहहए औय उनके तैमाय ककए जाने के एक भास के बीतय
स्थानीम प्राधधकायी को उऩरब्ध कयामा जाना चाहहए।
(xv) धाया २१ के उऩधाया (१) के अधीन गहठत हय ववद्मारम प्रफॊधन सशभनत हय सार
ऐसी एक ववद्मारम ववकास मोजना तैमाय कये गी जैसा उसभें ननधायरयत ककमा गमा है ।

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 Role of School Management Committee in India

(xvi) ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत उस ववत्तीम वषय के, जजसभें अधधननमभ के अधीन उसका
ऩहरी फाय गठन ककमा गमा है , अॊत से कभ से कभ तीन भास ऩव
ू य एक ववद्मारम
ववकास मोजना तैमाय कये गी।
(xvii) ववद्मारम ववकास मोजना तीन वषीम मोजना होगी, जजसभें तीन वावषयक उऩमोजनाएॊ
होंगी औय ननजम्रखखत ब्मौये होंगे:
a. प्रत्मेक वषय के शरए कऺा-वाय नाभाॊकन के प्रातकरन (अनुभान)
b. अनुसूची भें ववननहदय ष्ट सजन्नमभों के प्रनत ननदे श से ऩरयकशरत (ननदे श के
अनुसाय), अनतरयतत अध्माऩकों की सॊख्मा की अऩेऺा। (अनुरग्नक 1 के रूऩ भें
हदमा गमा है )
c. अनुसूची भें ववननहदय ष्ट सजन्नमभों औय भानकों के प्रनत ननदे श से ऩरयकशरत
(ननदे श के अनस
ु ाय), अनतरयतत अवसॊयचना (ढाॊचागत सवु वधाएॉ) औय उऩकयणों की
बौनतक अऩेऺा।
d. उऩयोतत के आधाय ऩय ववत्तीम आवश्मकता, जजसके अॊतगयत धाया भें ववननहदय ष्ट
(फताई गई) ववशेष प्रशशऺण सुववधा, नन्शुल्क ऩाठ्म ऩुस्तकों औय वहदय मों जैसी
फारकों की हकदायी, तथा अधधननमभ के अधीन ववद्मारम के उत्तयदानमत्वों को
ऩूया कयने के शरए कोई अन्म अऩेऺा बी है ।
(xviii) ववद्मारम ववकास मोजना ऩय ववद्मारम प्रफॊध सशभनत के अध्मऺ मा उऩाध्मऺ औय
समोंजक द्वाया हस्ताऺय ककए जाएॊगे औय उसे उस ववत्तीम वषय के, जजसभें उसे तैमाय
ककमा जाता है , अॊत से ऩूवय स्थानीम प्राधधकायी को प्रस्तुत ककमा जाएगा।
(xix) ववद्मारम प्रफॊधन सशभनत ऐसे फच्चों की ऩहचान कये गी जजन्हें ववशेष प्रशशऺण की
आवश्मकता है औय उनके शरए नन: शुल्क औय अननवामय शशऺा ननमभ २०१० भें हदमे
गए ननधायरयत तयीके से ऐसे ववशेष प्रशशऺण का आमोजन कये गी

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School Management Committee State-wise Rules:

1. MAHARASHTRA

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2. JHARKHAND

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3. WEST BENGAL

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4. ODISHA

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5. PUNJAB

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ANNEXURE 1- SCHEDULE

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अनुरग्नक १ – अनुसूची

(आयटीई अचधतनमभ, २००९ की धाया १९ औय २५)

एक विद्मारम के मरए भानदं ड औय भानक

क्र.
विषम भानदं ड औय भानक
सं.
१. अध्माऩकों की संख्मा:
क प्रथभ श्रेणी से ऩांचिीं कऺा िक नाभांककि फच्चे अध्माऩकों की संख्मा
साठ तक दो
इकसठ से नब्फे के फीच तीन
इतमानफे से एक सौ फीस के फीच चाय
एक सौ इतकीस से दो सौ के फीच ऩाॉच
एक सौ ऩचास फच्चों से ऊऩय ऩाॉच + एक भख्
ु म शशऺक
दो सौ फच्चों से ऊऩय छात्र-शशऺक अनुऩात (भुख्म शशऺक को
छोड़कय) चारीस से अधधक नहीॊ होना
चाहहए।
ख छठिीं कऺा से आठिीं कऺा िक 1. हय कऺा भें कभ से कभ एक शशऺक ताकक प्रत्मेक वगय भें कभ
से कभ एक शशऺक हो-
(i) ववऻान औय गखणत;
(ii) साभाजजक अध्ममन;
(iii) बाषाओॊ।
2. हय ३५ फच्चों के शरए कभ से कभ एक शशऺक
3. जहाॊ फच्चों का नाभाॊकन एक सौ से ऊऩय हो-
(i) एक ऩण ू क
य ाशरक भख्
ु म शशऺक;
(ii) ननम्नशरखखत के शरए अॊशकाशरक प्रशशऺक-
क करा शशऺा;
ख स्वास््म औय शायीरयक शशऺा;
ग कामय शशऺा।
२. ईभायि  सवयऋजत्वक (हय भौसभ के शरए ऩमायप्त) इभायत जजसभें हो:
(i) प्रत्मेक शशऺक के शरए कभ से कभ एक कऺा का कभया औय
एक कामायरम-एवॊ-बॊडाय-एवॊ-भुख्म शशऺक का कभया;
(ii) अवयोध भुतत ऩहुॉच;
(iii) रड़कों औय रड़ककमों के शरए अरग शौचारम;
(iv) सबी फच्चों के शरए सयु क्षऺत औय ऩमायप्त ऩेमजर सवु वधा;
(v) एक यसोईघय जहाॊ स्कूर भें दोऩहय का बोजन ऩकामा जाता
है ;

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(vi) खेर का भैदान;

(vii) दीवाय मा फाड़ रगा के स्कूर की इभायत को सुयक्षऺत कयने
की व्मवस्था।

३. एक शैऺणणक िषय भें न्मूनिभ कामय- (i) प्रथभ श्रेणी से ऩाॊचवीॊ कऺा के शरए दो सौ कामय हदवस;
ददिसों/शैक्षऺक घंटों की संख्मा (ii) छठी कऺा से आठवीॊ कऺा के शरए दो सौ फीस कामय हदवस;
(iii) प्रथभ श्रेणी से ऩाॊचवीॊ कऺा के शरए प्रनत शैऺखणक वषय भें
आठ सौ शैक्षऺक घॊटे;
(iv) छठी कऺा से आठवीॊ कऺा के शरए प्रनत शैऺखणक वषय भें
एक हजाय शैक्षऺक घॊटे।
४. मशऺक के मरए प्रति सप्िाह न्मूनिभ तैमायी सहहत ऩचास शशऺण घॊटे।
कामय-सभम की संख्मा
५. मशऺण अचधगभ उऩकयण आवश्मकतानस
ु ाय प्रत्मेक कऺा को प्रदान ककए जाने चाहहए।
६. ऩुस्िकारम प्रत्मेक ववद्मारम भें कहानी की ऩुस्तकों के साथ अख़फाय, ऩत्रत्रकाएॊ
औय सबी ववषमों ऩय ऩुस्तकें प्रदान कयने वारा एक ऩुस्तकारम होना
चाहहए।
७. खेरने की साभग्री, क्रीड़ा औय खेर के आवश्मकतानस
ु ाय प्रत्मेक कऺा को प्रदान ककए जाने चाहहए।
उऩकयण

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ANNEXURE 2- Brief History of Decentralisation in the Governance of Primary

Education in India (1986-2009)

Over the course of the last six decades, there have been several attempts to shift the
governance framework of elementary education towards a more decentralised system.

A timeline of significant events impacting community participation since 1986 is shown above.
Historically, the rationale for decentralised governance was located within a larger discourse of
liberating the community by devolving power to the local people. The National Policy of
Education, 1986 recommended:
•• Involvement of the community in the decision-making process
•• Decentralised management of education at all levels (district, sub-district and
Panchayat)
•• Adopting the eleventh schedule of the Constitution which entrusts the Panchayati

Raj bodies with “education including primary education, and secondary schools, teachers’
training and vocational education, adult and non-formal education, literacy and cultural
activities”

More recently, the belief that central administration may neither have the incentive nor has the
ability to monitor civil servants led development practitioners to believe that the involvement
of beneficiaries is essential to make services work for poor people. Since beneficiaries have the
necessary information to monitor the providers, and the incentives to demand good quality
service, their participation should help improve the quality of public services.

There have also been attempts for increasing decentralisation beyond education. In 1992,
the passage of the 72nd and 73rd constitutional amendments gave constitutional status to
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and empowered them to exercise their agency on
developmental areas including education, land improvement, irrigation, animal husbandry,

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fisheries, women and child development etc.

In 1994, the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched in 42 districts across 7
states with an aim to revitalise the primary education system. The programme later expanded
to 200 districts across 16 states. One of the major achievements of DPEP was the setting up of
Village Education Committees (VECs) in almost all project locations and schools. VECs were
envisaged as village level school oversight structures under the DPEP consisting of influential
village members, parent members and headmaster. Their responsibilities included managing
funds coming to the school, keeping a record of the school accounts, verifying teacher
attendance for the teacher’s monthly salary and in some states like Karnataka, the ability to
hire contract teachers.
Taking a lead from the constitutional amendments of 1992 and DPEP in 1994, the 1990s saw
education programmes in several states emphasise community participation as one of their
thrust areas. These programmes leveraged a number of informal and formal structures within
the state. These included the Mother-Teacher Associations (MTAs) instituted under the DPEP
programme in Kerala and women’s groups brought together under the Lok Jumbish in
Rajasthan, in addition to the VECs formed in several states.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) further attempted to empower local oversight structures. It
mandated that all school-level grants be used for up-gradation, maintenance, repair of schools
and equipment for teaching and learning. The school-level grant was INR 2,000 per annum for
primary and upper primary schools. This amount increased to INR 5,000 and INR 7,000 for
primary and upper primary schools in 2012-13. Overall, as per PAISA (2013), schools grants
amount to only 2% of the SSA allocation. Furthermore, SSA mandated that local management
be transferred to VECs/SMCs/Gram Panchayats (GPs) or to any other village/school level
structure for decentralised governance, as adopted by the particular state/UT.

Source: Empowering Communities, Enhancing Education: Strengthening School Management Committees in India,
Central Square Foundation

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Parents and children are the primary stakeholders of an education system and it is they who bear
the brunt of the faulting school system. They need to be given opportunities and support to bring
about a change in the education system.

Church of North India, Synodical Board of Social Services

CNI Bhawan, 16, Pandit Pant Marg, New Delhi- 110001
Phone: +91-11-2371 8168/ 2126
Email: [email protected]

www.cnisbss.org
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