New Delhi, May 6: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday launched the School Management Committee (SMC) Guidelines 2026, underscoring the need for stronger community participation, improved school infrastructure and updated pedagogy in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
Addressing the inaugural event here attended by education ministers from several states and senior officials, Pradhan underlined that SMCs are not a new concept but have evolved overtime and remain central to improving learning outcomes and governance in schools.
He said that as the academic cycle progresses, “we first review what was taught in the previous year — this becomes the foundation for the next phase of learning.” “As we move into the second month of the 2026-27 academic year, which begins in April, we are also approaching the summer vacation period, after which schools will resume in July. During this time, our focus is on preparation — how to organise teaching effectively in the coming academic year, how to improve learning outcomes, and how to enhance students’ competencies,” he said.
The minister said the implementation of the NEP 2020 will complete six years in a few months and it will enter its seventh year. He said that the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has made textbooks available up to Class 9, and added that new textbooks for Classes 10, 11, and 12 will be introduced in the coming years.
“With the introduction of new textbooks, there is also a shift towards new pedagogy, new examples and a new approach to learning. Keeping in mind the needs of the time, we have also introduced computational thinking and basic knowledge of artificial intelligence from Class 3 onwards,” the minister said.
Describing SMCs as a bridge between society and schools, he said, “The School Management Committee must act as a bridge between society, education, students and teachers.” Emphasising collective responsibility in education, Pradhan said, “The School Management Committee should become a social movement. The success of the National Education Policy 2020 depends on society taking ownership of it.”
He further noted that government efforts alone are not sufficient.
“Governments have limitations; but beyond that, who will provide the ‘extra push’? That is the role of the School Management Committee,” he said. (PTI)
