In a step towards a bit more inclusivity and progressiveness, government (and govt aided) primary schools and upper primary schools will now have 50% women in the Uttar Pradesh school management committees (SMCs). The existing committee members will reportedly retire on November 30 and that is when the new committee, with 50% women representation, will replace them.

All the state district magistrates have been briefed about the committees, wherein representation from every class has been deemed mandatory amidst 11 members of the 15. These new committees, of Uttar Pradesh schools, are slated to be reconstituted every two years.

Principal secretary, Basic Education department UP Government, Deepak Kumar stated, "There will be 15 members in the school management committee, out of which 11 members will be parents or guardians of the children studying, but 50 per cent of the members of the committee will be women."

The remnant four positions from the 15 will be filled by a member of the local authorities, an auxiliary nurse and midwives (ANM) member, a Lekhpal, and the headmaster of the respective school. Parents/guardians of students belonging to reserved castes will also be included in the committee.

"Only one school management committee will be constituted in primary, upper primary and composite schools established in the same premises. The school management committee will be constituted in all Kasturba Gandhi Girls Schools of the state," the order adds.

As per the official order, the work on the new SMCs formation in schools will be implemented during the period November 20-30, so that the new constituted SMC can become functional from December this year.

New committees will be formed every two years and supposedly readied by every 23rd month, after the establishment of the current one.