Punjab Government Amends Rules for School Management Committees
Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has announced amendments to the Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011, through a notification issued on April 26, 2025. These changes, officially titled the Punjab Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Rules, 2025, come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
The key amendment concerns the composition and functioning of the School Management Committee (SMC). Under the revised rules, the SMC will now consist of sixteen members. Twelve of these members will be parents or guardians of students enrolled in the concerned school, with a requirement that at least fifty percent of these parent members are women.
Other members of the committee will include the Principal, Headmaster, or Head Teacher of the school, or the senior-most teacher in their absence. A teacher employed at the school will also be a member. Additionally, an elected public representative of the area or their nominee will be part of the committee.
The rules also introduce the role of an education worker, defined as an individual preferably holding a graduation degree or more, but who has at least passed XII and is interested in the field of education.
Provisions are made for invitee members, such as a social worker operating in the vicinity. The School Management Committee may also invite individuals with special backgrounds in fields like education, health, sports, and industry as special invitee members through a resolution. However, invitee and special invitee members will not have voting rights and are not eligible to be elected as Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the SMC.
The School Management Committee will elect a Chairperson from among the twelve parent members to manage its affairs. A Vice Chairperson will be elected from the fourteen non-official members of the committee. The Principal, Headmaster, or Head Teacher, or the senior-most teacher in their absence, will serve as the ex-officio Member-Secretary and Convener of the SMC.
Decisions within the School Management Committee are to be made through consensus and mutual discussion. If a consensus is not possible, decisions will be taken by majority votes. In the event of a tie, the Chairperson will have a casting vote.
The notification was signed by Anindita Mitra, Secretary to the Government of Punjab, Department of School Education.
