This issue of EducationWorld is the second instalment (Part-II) of the EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR estb. 2007) 2025-26. Over the past 18 years of uninterrupted publication, the annual  EWISR has evolved into the world’s largest and most comprehensive  rankings survey of primary-secondary schools. Every year it rates 4,000-4,500 most well-reputed of India’s 1.4 million schools under 14 parameters of excellence including teacher welfare & development, teacher competence, academic reputation, leadership, co-curricular and sports education, individual attention to students, mental and emotional well-being services special needs education, community service, among others. The scores awarded to schools under these parameters are totaled to rank them in three major — day, boarding and international — categories and 14 sub-categories (to ensure apples are not ranked with oranges) under them.  

Although 18 years on the EWISR methodology is well and widely known, we still receive enquiries about our survey methodology. For EWISR 2025-26, our field research agency AZ Research Partners, Bangalore initiated one-on-one interviews with 9,500 knowledgeable sample respondents (educationists, principals, teachers and parents) who were persuaded to award scores out of 100 (200 under ‘teacher competence’) to schools according to their perception. These scores are totaled to rank schools in every sub-category.

Moreover in the quest for continuous improvement, this year we have elevated some schools repeatedly ranked high and awarded top scores under critical parameters in previous EWISRs to a new Ivy League category. These super nova schools are all cluster ranked India #1 and differentiated from each other by star awards and grades to ensure they will endeavour to improve continuously. 

Last month (September),  we presented Part-I of EWISR rating and ranking the country’s best Day (co-ed, day-cum-boarding, boys and girls) schools. In this Part II issue, we present league tables ranking the country’s most respected Boarding (co-ed, boys and girls) and International (co-ed day, day-cum-boarding, residential) and Vintage legacy schools. Also the best Budget private schools and Central and state government schools. Our intent is that EWISR should be  as comprehensive as possible.

In EducationWorld we highly value education excellence and education leaders who pull out all stops to raise teaching-learning standards in their schools to best global levels. Therefore promoters, promoters, principals and leaders of institutions ranked high in EWISR 2025-26 will be awarded and felicitated at the EWISR Awards 2025-26 Conclave scheduled to be staged in Delhi, October 14-16. It promises to be the largest national conclave of school leaders in Indian history. We look forward to seeing you there.