With co-ed schools having become the fashion, boys-only schools are an endangered species. Nevertheless, some of them have established national reputations for stellar academic results, enviable sports culture and excellent co-curricular education

Campion principal Sarah Thomas: collective commitment outcome

With the overwhelming majority of new K-12 institutions promoted as co-educational schools, gender segregated schools are an endangered species and India’s boys-only day schools have become outliers. In the latest EW India School Rankings 2025-26, a mere 31 boys day schools (cf. 3,000 co-ed schools) are sufficiently well-known to be rated and ranked. Yet while their numbers have shrunk, some of them have established outsized national reputations for stellar academic results, enviable sports culture, and excellent co-curricular education.

In 2025-26, the 31-strong league table of India’s best boys day schools has undergone a rejig (for vintage boys day schools, see p.276). While this year’s 9,500 sample respondents — parents, principals, teachers and education counselors — polled by the Bengaluru-based AZ Research Partners have re-voted Campion School, Mumbai India’s #1 all-boys day school, they have rearranged top table seating. St. John’s High, Chandigarh has been promoted to #2 (3 in 2024-25), M.C. Kejriwal Vidyapeeth, Howrah to #3 (6), and Don Bosco School, Park Circus, Kolkata to #4 (10). St. Columba’s School, Delhi has slipped to #5 (4).

Sarah Thomas, principal of Campion School, Mumbai (estb.1943), is “honoured and humbled” that this year’s sample respondents have reaffirmed this CISCE-affiliated school India’s #1 boys day school for the second consecutive year with top scores under the parameters of academic reputation, teacher welfare and development, sports education, and value for money.

“Being ranked India’s #1 boys day school for the second year in a row is the outcome of the collective commitment of our students, teachers, parents, and alumni to education excellence. The pillars of Campion are academics, sports education, teacher welfare and development, and value for money. Under all these parameters we have been awarded top score. This is very satisfying. It’s proof that we are providing excellent holistic education to our students. Another key factor behind Campion’s success is our emphasis on our children’s mental and emotional well-being. We ensure that each student is seen, heard, and supported academically, emotionally, and spiritually,” says Thomas, an alumna of Mumbai University who served with the Cathedral & John Connon School and Oberoi International, Mumbai prior to her appointment as principal at Campion (795 students and 60 teachers) in June.

This year marks an important milestone for this 75-year-old all-boys school. It has begun the inevitable transition into a co-educational institution by admitting its first batch of girl children in the kindergarten section. “This transformation, which will happen gradually, is an inclusion initiative aligned with global best practices. Looking ahead, Campion will also be introducing the

MC Kejriwal Vidyapeeth Director Neelkantha Gupta: planned growth strategy

Cambridge A Levels in classes XI and XII, providing our students with the option of international certification. These forward-looking initiatives reflect our commitment to providing globally relevant, future-ready education while remaining deeply rooted in Jesuit values,” adds Thomas.

Campion is not the only boys school going co-ed. Over the past quinquennium, some well-known boys-only schools including St. Germain High School, Bengaluru and Joseph’s Boys School, Jalandhar have gone co-ed, indicating a growing parental preference for mixed-gender schooling.

Declining to comment on this issue, Neelkantha Gupta, Director of M.C. Kejriwal Vidyapeeth, Howrah (MCKV, estb.1997), is delighted with the school’s steady advancement in the national league table from #7 in 2023-24 to #6 in 2024-25 and #3 this year. The CISCE-affiliated MCKV, which has 2,917 students and 152 teachers on its musters, has been awarded top score on the parameter of mental and emotional well-being services, and high scores for academic reputation, individual attention to students, and special needs education.

“We are encouraged by our steady ascent in the EW rankings which are based on meaningful and relevant parameters. Our rise to India #3 this year is the result of a carefully planned growth strategy rooted in student-centric policies, adoption of best practices, and continuous professional development. We have consciously aligned our teaching and learning processes with global best teaching-learning practices, with emphasis on experiential learning, digital fluency, inclusion, and holistic development of every child. Our high scores on the parameters of academic reputation, individual attention to students and special needs education are recognition of our push towards progressive, inclusive education. Yet while we take pride in our high academic standards, inclusive ethos, and personalised attention, we place highest value on mental and emotional well-being services for which I am gratified we have been awarded the top score. We believe that nurturing resilience, empathy, and a growth mindset within students provides the foundation for all learning and achievement,” says Gupta, who expresses his thanks to the EW Rankings survey for “enabling schools like ours to measure progress, reflect meaningfully, and make timely course corrections”.

Bishop Scott School, Patna students: Bihar #1

Beyond the Top 5, there’s considerable reordering of seats at the Top 10 table. Sacred Heart Boys High School, Santacruz (W), Mumbai has been elevated to #6 (7) and Loyola High School, Pune to #7 (9) even as DAV Boys Senior Secondary School, Gopalapuram, Chennai has ceded considerable ground and is ranked #8 (3) jointly with NASR Boys School, Hyderabad (8). The Top 10 table is completed by Agrasain Boys School, Howrah which has advanced to #9 (11) and DAV Boys Senior Secondary School, Mogappair, Chennai at #10 (5).

Several schools further down the league table have been awarded big promotions by this year’s sample respondents. Among them: Don Bosco School, Delhi to #11 (18), Auckland House School for Boys, Shimla #12 (21) and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School (OLPS), Chembur, Mumbai #21 (23).

An important caveat for parents to bear in mind is that several schools ranked beyond the Top 10 are highly ranked in their host states and cities. For instance, Bishop Scott Boys School, Patna, ranked India #13 is #1 boys day school of Bihar (pop.130 million); Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Agartala, ranked #23 nationally is #1 in Tripura (4.2 million) and Mithi Gobindram Public School, Bairagarh, Bhopal, ranked India #24 is #1 in Madhya Pradesh (72 million).

Parents should also bear in mind that for day schools, city rank is more relevant than national rank, which at best confers bragging rights.