Consequent upon inclusion of schools promoted by defence services in the Central government day and boarding schools league tables, JNVs, which had hitherto dominated this league table, have had to cede rank, writes Paromita Sengupta and Reshma Ravishanker

Since 2014, when EducationWorld editors took the decision to rank government schools — routinely ignored by the media and public — in the annual EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR) survey, the league table of India’s best government boarding schools has been dominated by the Central government-promoted Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs).

Conceptualised in 1984 by the late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi as freeof-charge class VI-XII co-ed boarding schools for meritorious rural children, the country’s 661 JNVs are arguably the greatest success story in public education. Unfortunately there are too few of them. India has 731 districts but only 661 JNVs.

However this year, consequent upon inclusion of schools promoted by the defence services in the Central government schools day and boarding schools league tables, JNVs have had to cede considerable ground. The 1,279 SEC (socio-economic category) ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ sample respondents interviewed by field personnel of the Delhi-based Centre for Forecasting and Research have voted Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun (RIMC-D, estb.1922) — ranked India #10 in the boys residential school category in 2021-22 — the country’s #1 government boarding school.

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RIMC-D is followed by Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya, Jamui (promoted by the Bihar state government) at #2 (#6 in 2021-22) and Rashtriya Military School, Bengaluru at #3 (14). The Haryana government promoted Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Sonipat is ranked #4 (3) and Oak Grove School, Dehradun #5 (4). JNV, Bagalur, Bengaluru Urban — ranked #1 in 2021-22 — is #12 this year and JNV, Chennithala, Alappuzha (Kerala) #7 (2).

Established a century ago as the “the first school promoted as a feeder school of military training colleges promoted by the defence services”, RIMC, Dehradun is awarded highest score on the parameters of faculty competence, co-curricular and sports education, leadership, and pastoral care. However, several email messages and phone calls of your editors to the RIMC commandant to convey the good news in the school’s centenary year, drew no response.

In sharp contrast, Dr. Rajiv Ranjan, principal of Simultala Awasiya Vidyalaya, Jamui (SAV-J), promoted from #6 in 2021-22 to #3 this year, was very forthcoming. Established in 2010 by the Nitish Kumar-led JD(S) government of Bihar as a “model English-medium government residential school,” SAV-J has been awarded top scores for academic reputation, curriculum and pedagogy and mental and emotional well-being services.

“Evidently your sample respondents are aware of the hard work our teachers and students put in to maintain learning continuity during the pandemic lockdown. During this unprecedented crisis, the emotional and psychological support our teachers also provided to students is behind our excellent academic results in the CBSE board exams this year. I am especially proud of our India #3 rank this year as SAV-J is competing with Army and Sainik boarding schools in the reconstituted league table,” says Ranjan, an alumnus of S.K.M. University, Dumka, Jharkhand, who served in higher secondary education in Bhutan for 11 years before he was appointed principal of SAV-J in 2011. Currently this classes VI-XII school has an enrolment of 673 students mentored by 27 teachers.

Beyond the Top 5, Army Public School (APS), Dagshai, inducted into the government boarding school category from the general day-cum boarding league table, has been awarded a big promotion to #6 (#29 in 2021-22). Ditto Rashtriya Military School, Belagavi ranked #8 (16) and Rashtriya Military School, Chail #9 (17) — all inducted from the co-ed day category. Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya, Baripada, promoted under the aegis of the Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya Sangathan, a publicly funded initiative inaugurated by the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government of Odisha in 2015, has made an impressive debut at #10.

“This higher ranking will motivate us to strive for betterment. We are committed to children’s holistic development and our high scores under the parameters of academic reputation, sports and co-curricular education are proof that we are on the right track. Our CBSE class X and XII board results over the past two-three years have been excellent, thanks to the dedication of our teachers,” says Dr. Sanjay Kumar Mishra, an alum of Allahabad and Kurukshetra universities with three decades of teaching and admin experience, and principal of the Army Public School, Dagshai (APS-D, estb.1986). Currently, APS-D hosts 568 boys mentored by 34 teachers.

JNVs, which hitherto dominated the government boarding schools league table, are bunched beyond the Top 10. Last year’s top-ranked JNV, Bagalur, Bengaluru is #12 (1); JNV, Chennithala (Kerala) #7 (2); Gachibowli #13 (5), Hamirpur #15 (7), Chittoor #16 (11), Neriamangalam #17 (8) Kannur #18 (9), Pimple, Pune #19 (10), Karimnagar #21 (12), Pathanamthitta #20 (13), Samastipur #23 (15). Meanwhile, Rashtriya Military Schools — Ajmer #11 (18) and Dholpur #11 (20), and Sainik Schools — Ghorakhal #12 (21), Goalpara #14 (23), Amravathinagar #22 (25), Jamnagar #24 (26), Satara #26 (28), Purulia #27 (31), Rewa #28 (30), Chhingchip #29 (33), Punglwa #30 (34) have all risen in the EWISR 2022-23 government boarding schools league table.

For full list, please visit:EW India School Rankings 2022-23 – Top & best schools in India

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