FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: A CROSS-STATE ANALYSIS OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES’ FUNCTIONING AND OUTCOMES

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009, mandated the establishment of School Management Committees (SMCs) in all government and government-aided schools to encourage inclusive, participatory, and accountable school governance. This review compiles insights from more than twenty-five peer-reviewed studies, government documents, and case reports published between 2011 to 2024, with a sole focus on the Indian context. The evidence is organized into three key objectives (i) To evaluate the function and overall effectiveness of School Management Committee. (ii) To identify and analyze the challenges hindering the effective functioning of School Management Committee. (iii) To access the outcomes and impact of School Management Committee. The findings indicate that active SMCs have contributed to better monitoring of school activities, improved infrastructure planning, and enhanced community awareness and in some contexts, higher student enrolment and retention rates. However, these gains are uneven across states and regions. Persistent challenges include inadequate training for members, low awareness of roles and responsibilities, socio-cultural and gender-based barriers, political interference, and irregular meetings. Capacity gaps in preparing and implementing School Development Plans (SDPs) remain a critical limitation. While SMCs have strengthened community participation, improved planning, and contributed to school oversight, their performance remains inconsistent. Recent policy directions, including the “National Education Policy” (NEP) 2020 and the “National Framework for School Curriculum” (NFSC) 2022, place greater focus on capacity enhancement, locally relevant curricula, and collaborative decision-making. To fully realize the potential of SMCs, sustained capacity building, adequate resource support, and equitable participation must be prioritized. Recommendations include linking SMC functions with Panchayati Raj Institutions, implementing digital tools for monitoring, and promoting greater gender and caste inclusivity. This review adds to the body of knowledge on decentralized school governance in India and offers practical, evidence-based guidance for policymakers, practitioners, and community stakeholders.