Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, launched School Management Committee (SMC) Guidelines today at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Shri Ashish Sood, Education Minister, Government of NCT of Delhi; Shri Gajender Yadav, Minister of School Education, Government of Chhattisgarh; Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL); Secretary, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Ashok Kumar Meena and Smt. Archana S. Awasthi, Additional Secretary, DoSEL, along with other senior officials, were present during the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that the School Management Committee (SMC) Guidelines–2026 will play a pivotal role in translating the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 into action across the country’s nearly 15 lakh schools.
He said the Guidelines envision SMCs as a vital bridge between students, teachers, parents, and communities to ensure holistic development of children through stronger community participation and shared responsibility in education.
Shri Pradhan emphasised that while the government is committed to ensuring education, health, well-being, mental health, and support for Children With Special Needs (CWSN), the SMC Guidelines also recognise the importance of handholding, mentoring, and community ownership in strengthening schools.
He said the Guidelines aim to develop SMCs into a sustainable culture and a people’s movement for improving educational outcomes. Highlighting the role of initiatives like Vidyanjali in encouraging greater public participation, he noted that India’s education system has historically thrived under community leadership, and the new SMC Guidelines seek to revive that spirit by placing schools once again at the centre of societal engagement.
Shri Ashish Sood, while addressing, stated that this programme is not merely about issuing new guidelines, but represents a deep and transformative shift taking place in India’s education system. He emphasized that if India is to achieve the goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047, the path must pass through its classrooms.
Shri Sood described the newly launched SMC Guidelines 2026 as a crucial link in this transformative journey. He explained that the earlier SMC framework, introduced after the Right to Education Act, was largely limited to grant monitoring, infrastructure supervision, and administrative processes.
However, today’s challenges and expectations have significantly evolved. He pointed out that issues such as child safety, mental health, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), digital transparency, learning outcomes, and community participation have become critically important.
The new SMC Guidelines have been designed keeping these priorities in mind. The Minister emphasized that these guidelines transform SMCs from mere monitoring bodies into true “school community governing institutions.” SMCs will now actively contribute to holistic child development, academic quality, student welfare, safety, inclusivity, digital governance, and transparency.
Concluding his address, Shri Sood expressed confidence that the SMC Guidelines 2026 will strengthen community participation, transparency, and quality education, and play a vital role in building a developed India. Shri Gajendra Yadav, in his address, said that an active society’s involvement is essential for improving children’s learning outcomes.
He said that the School Management Committee (SMC) Guidelines introduced under the leadership of Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan would help bridge the gap between parents and schools by ensuring greater participation of local guardians in school management and functioning.
The meeting was virtually attended by several State Education Ministers, including Shri Mahipal Dhanda, School, Higher and Technical Education Minister, Haryana; Shri Dadaji Bhuse, School Education and Marathi Language Minister, Maharashtra; Dr. Vanlalthlana, Minister for School Education, Higher and Technical Education, Mizoram; Shri Kishor Barman, Higher Education Minister, Government of Tripura; Shri Dhan Singh Rawat, Education Minister, Uttarakhand; and Shri Temjen Imna Along, Higher Education Minister, Nagaland.