Although cynics may scoff, since the EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR) were introduced in 2007 and EW league tables have been presented to the public without interruption, they have generated tremendous enthusiasm within primary-secondary school managements, even if not within the educators and parents communities to the same extent. This is very encouraging because it indicates that institutional managements are hell-bent on improving their public image and education outcomes, which is beneficial for the country’s huge population of 246 million school-going children.

Although learned academics often sniff at the annual EWISR, school leaders whom we interview for reactions are invariably delighted and enthused to hear that 15,000-18,000 carefully selected sample respondents — educationists, teachers, parents and students — have awarded them a vote of confidence. Because the plain truth is before EducationWorld began publication on the eve of the new millennium, the media didn’t give a damn for school leaders, teachers, education innovators and high-performance schools, colleges and universities, despite the reality that they shape future generations. Theirs was to do and die, unsung.

Clearly, this was untenable. Hence the ideation and presentation of the annual EWISR followed up by the annual EWISR Awards, a grand three-day event staged every year in Delhi to reward and felicitate India’s most high-performance primary-secondary schools. All Top 20 ranked schools in various categories and sub-categories are invited on October 22-24 provided they register (see www.educationworld.in).

Since then over the past almost two decades since they were introduced, the annual EWISR have evolved and expanded into the largest school rankings survey worldwide. Yes, worldwide. Over 4,000 schools under three main categories of Day, Boarding and International and 29 sub-categories are rated under 12-15 parameters of school education excellence.

This division and categorisation of institutions is to avoid apples with oranges type comparisons, and ensure a level playing field for all institutions. The scores awarded by the sample respondents under each parameter are totaled to rank schools in each category. In short, a mountain of field work — categorisation, interviews, totaling — has been done over four months by our trusted market research agency AZ Research Partners and an in-house task force led by meticulous Managing Editor, Summiya Yasmeen to compile EWISR 2026-27. So please, please don’t call and enquire about the rankings methodology which is also elaborated in extenso in the introductory commentary.

The annual EWISR is inclusive, inasmuch as we also rank affordable Budget Private Schools, sufficiently well-known State and Central Government Day and Boarding Schools, Special Needs and Philanthropic Schools. The intent is to appreciate and felicitate as many education institutions as possible. Because no matter what cynics say, every education institution to a greater or lesser degree, is engaged in nation-building.