EducationWorld October 2024

Tamil Nadu: Dangerous boom

Shivani Chaturvedi (Chennai) Over the past 25 years since it was modestly promoted with the ambition to make education the #1 item on the sputtering national development agenda, EducationWorld (estb.1999) has relentlessly championed foundational early childhood care and education (ECCE) which had been almost totally ignored — especially in public education — for over seven decades. In 2010, EW convened the first International ECCE Conference in Mumbai. Simultaneously, the first EducationWorld India Preschool Rankings were launched to showcase the country’s best preschools in six cities. Since then, the annual EW India Preschool Rankings have been published without interruption featuring most admired preschools in 17 cities as also the country’s best (government-run) Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). Evidently EW’s sustained championing of ECCE has paid off. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 accords high importance to ECCE. To the extent that the previous 10+2 school education system has been recast as 5+3+3+4 mandating three years of compulsory pre-primary education for all children. However, according to reports from the southern state of Tamil Nadu, ECCE has now become too popular. The Federation of Private School Associations (FPSA) in the state has raised alarm over mushrooming pre-primaries, a large number of whom lack basic facilities, employ untrained staff, and disregard safety measures for youngest children. “Under the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2019, and the code of regulation for nursery and primary schools, all schools are required to obtain recognition from the school education department. However, hundreds of play schools are operating without any recognition,” says M. Arumugam, state president of FPSA. “Most of these schools are functioning out of homes and in overcrowded residential areas, which may be unfit and unsafe for children,” he adds. Other educationists are also sounding warning alarms. “We are witnessing an increasing number of unauthorised schools without proper infrastructure or qualified teachers being promoted, posing a significant threat to the safety and development of young children,” confirms K.R. Nandhakumar, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation, Higher Secondary, and CBSE Schools Association. According to Nandhakumar, a large number of the 9,000 pre-primaries approved by the state government’s Directorate of Private Schools, also operate in residential areas. Parents are obliged to pay “hefty fees” for half-day learning, and many teachers are either higher secondary (class XII) or only Montessori certified. Despite the state government having prescribed stringent guidelines for private pre-primaries, enforcement remains weak, says Nandhakumar. “In Chennai, there are at least 1,000 self-styled play schools operating without supervision and affiliation, in violation of law. The government should monitor these institutions more closely. In many cases, classrooms are overcrowded, and the schools lack adequately trained staff qualified to provide the necessary care and educational support to youngest children. With minimal regulatory oversight, too many preschools ignore critical safety measures such as fire safety protocols, first-aid facilities, and CCTV surveillance, putting the lives of children at risk,” says Dr. S. Somasundaram, a Chennai-based educationist. In 2004, a horrifying fire at the Sri Krishna Saraswathi English Medium School at…

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Experts react to cancellation of board exams

They said it

“This quiet revolution, this subtle shift, in the way Kashmir engages with democracy, may well be the most profound transformation of all.” Mohammad Tabish, a Chevening Scholar, on high voter turnout in the recent Jammu & Kashmir assembly election (Outlook, October 11) “Legend has it that one of the earliest forms of the prasad was documented way back in 1715. Today, so coveted is the sweet offering that the temple produces some 300,000 daily contributing Rs.500 crore to the annual kitty of the world’s’ richest Hindu shrine.” Amarnath K. Menon, journalist, on allegations that Tirupati laddoo (prasad) was contaminated with animal fat (India Today, October 14) “Even in difficult times, the Tata Group under his leadership was seen as a uniquely benign employer. It did not swindle, it paid its debts, it stood behind its products—and it was largely, if not entirely, free from scandal. It also placed a tremendous effort on philanthropic activities.” The Economist (online) on death and legacy of Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Group (October 10) “Even the BJP was conceding to challenges on a number of fronts: corruption, unemployment, agrarian distress and urban dysfunction. To fritter this opportunity will hurt; it changes the momentum of Indian politics. It strengthens Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was beginning to look very shaky, and is indicative still of a large residual resistance to accepting Rahul Gandhi.” Pratap Bhanu Mehta, public intellectual on Congress party loss in Haryana assembly election (Indian Express, October 9) “Some of Tata Group’s acquisitions have indeed helped make it enough of a household name across countries, for it to emerge as the only Indian brand among the world’s top 100 most valued brands, per Brand Finance global rankings.” Editorial analysing why Tatas apart, no Indian corporate is a global brand (Times of India, October 11)

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India, UK sign pact recognising each other's higher education qualifications

Education Notes

Delhi Gender equality initiative New delhi, september 10. Women depicted in roles traditionally associated with men and men performing household chores are some of the changes proposed to be incorporated in textbooks of Delhi government schools. In a huge step towards promoting gender equality, Delhi’s State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) conducted a comprehensive audit of 53 textbooks and curriculums to identify gender biases and stereotypes in academic material. An audit committee comprising personnel from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Delhi University, central institutes of education, and several NGOs analysed textbooks and curricula, identifying gender prejudices and stereotyping in school textbooks. The committee flagged male-dominated content, illustrations and language and the depiction of women in submissive roles. Arunachal Pradesh Kendriya Hindi Sansthan Itanagar, september 25. Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced the state government will provide land for establishment of a regional centre of the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, an autonomous organisation under the Union education ministry. Addressing students during the silver jubilee celebrations of the Hindi faculty of Rajiv Gandhi University, Khandu said: “Our government’s proposal for establishment of a regional centre of the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan in the state has been accepted by the Centre and now sufficient and suitable land needs to be provided for it. Arunachal Pradesh is the only state in the North-east which has adopted Hindi as its lingua franca.” Odisha Ragging investigation Berhampur, september 23. An investigation has been ordered after some first-year postgrad hostel students of Berhampur University in Ganjam district alleged that they were ragged by seniors. In a complaint submitted to the University Grants Commission (UGC), several first-year post-graduate students alleged that senior students had entered their hostel rooms around 11 p.m on the night of the incident. The seniors reportedly interrogated them under the guise of “introductions” and continued asking questions, depriving them of sleep. The complainants, however, did not specify the names of the senior students involved. On receiving the complaint forwarded by UGC, the university promptly launched an inquiry. Addressing a press conference, vice chancellor Geetanjali Dash said: “UGC has instructed us to investigate the matter and provide an action-taken report, which we have already submitted. We are committed to maintaining a ragging-free campus and have taken appropriate action to ensure that such incidents do not recur.” Chhattisgarh Hindi medium MBBS Raipur, september 14. Formal Hindi-medium medical education (MBBS) will be offered statewide from the academic year 2024-25. Chhattisgarh is the country’s second state after Madhya Pradesh to offer medical education in English and Hindi. Addressing a press conference on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said his government intends to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive to provide medical education in Hindi. “Our government has taken a big decision on Hindi Diwas. The MBBS programme will also be taught in Hindi with textbooks in Hindi introduced in the first year. The health ministry has been requested to provide books and study materials. This initiative will especially benefit students…

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West Bengal: Lost sheen

Baishali Mukherjee (Kolkata) Two months after the gruesome rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata on August 9, public protests and demonstrations continue on the streets of the ‘City of Joy’. The horrific murder of the young medical intern which exposed the lack of safety, governance, and legal accountability of medical institutions in the state, has shaken the bhadralok (refined middle class) out of its torpor. Unusually, they are taking to the streets with rage, staring down the state’s administration. Moreover with more doctors speaking out against mismanagement in medical colleges, systemic bullying, threats and an environment of fear perpetrated by the ‘North Bengal lobby’, i.e, people with close ties to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party, public anger is boiling over. Meanwhile, responding to the fourth status report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to the Supreme Court on September 30, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud observed that “substantial leads” have emerged about the rape-murder of the resident doctor and alleged financial irregularities at the hospital perpetrated by former principal Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who was arrested by CBI on September 14. The bench acknowledged the possibility of an “inter/intra state or broader nexus of smuggling bio waste material” into Bangladesh. The apex court also pulled up the state government for “tardy progress” in improving safety measures to protect doctors in government hospitals across the state. CBI has been investigating the case since August 13 with the Supreme Court taking suo motu cognizance of the case on August 20. According to CBI sources, the ‘North Bengal lobby’ has acquired huge influence in the past decade. They reportedly dictate transfer, recruitment, and promotions within the state government’s Department of Health and Family Welfare. They also enjoy extra-constitutional power as exemplified by the controversial Dr. Sandip Ghosh, who following the rape-murder was transferred to head another government hospital. Preliminary CBI investigations indicate that Ghosh was indulging in illegal body trafficking and biomedical waste disposal, with the aid of Dr. Sudipto Roy, TMC MLA and head of West Bengal Medical Council. Moreover a spate of resignations including 18 junior doctors working in government hospitals in North Bengal due to unfavourable workplace conditions, are indicative of deep rot in the state’s 34 medical colleges with an aggregate enrolment of 5,125 students. As a result, chief minister Mamata Banerjee who usually brooks no dissent and is too thin skinned to tolerate even slightest criticism, has bent to the protesting medicos and accepted much of their five-point charter of September 16. The demands included transfer of several Kolkata police personnel and state health department top brass.Banerjee also sanctioned Rs.100 crore for infrastructure development in hospitals for doctors and reconstitution of patient welfare committees, creation of a special task force to tackle safety-security measures in hospitals and setting up an effective and responsive grievance redressal machinery across hospitals and medical colleges. After these concessions, the junior doctors of state…

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Uttar Pradesh: Prolix recruitment litigation

Vidya Pandit (Lucknow) A dispute over the recruitment of 69,000 government school teachers in Uttar Pradesh escalated to the Supreme Court of India. On September 9, the apex court overruled an order of the Lucknow high court to draw up a fresh list of recruitees in response to petitions alleging that affirmative action rules were not followed in the recruitment process. In December 2018, the UP government notified recruitment of 69,000 assistant teachers for the state’s 1.33 lakh government schools. In January 2019, 4.1 lakh candidates wrote the qualifying exam, the results of which were published in May, 2020. A total of 146,000 candidates cleared the exam which stipulated varying cut-offs for differing categories of candidates. For unreserved (general) candidates, the cut-off was 67.11 percent; for Other Backward Castes (OBC) 66.73 percent; and 61.01 percent for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates. The final list of 67,867 selected candidates was released in two batches — June and October 2020. The remaining 1,133 positions for ST (Scheduled Tribes) candidates were left vacant due to lack of minimally qualified applicants. Almost immediately there was a chorus of demands for category-wise disclosure of successful candidates. It was alleged that over 50 percent of selected teachers were drawn from the unreserved (merit) category, with only 3.86 percent instead of the mandatory 27 percent being drawn from the OBC category, and 16.2 percent rather than the mandated 21 percent drawn from SC/ST categories. It was alleged that 15,800 seats which should have been awarded to OBC and SC/ST graduates were allotted to the general category candidates. In July 2020, this allegation was heard by the National Commission for Other Backward Classes. After enquiry, the commission found discrepancies in the criteria adopted for defining OBC and SC/ST for the exam. “There were 34,589 unreserved seats in the examination. As per real figures (sic), 18,851 OBC candidates qualified for admission under the unreserved merit category. However, the first list prepared by the education ministry had only 13,007 OBC candidates in the unreserved category. The remaining 5,844 OBC students were placed in reserved category despite their having qualified in the unreserved category,” said the commission. As a result the OBC reserved category was reduced by 5,623 seats. On January 5, 2022, the ministry prepared a list of 6,800 candidates who would have qualified but for misclassification, and promised to issue appointment letters “shortly”. However, since it was the year of legislative assembly elections and with the model code of conduct in force, the letters were not issued. Therefore, the government’s inaction was protested in a petition filed in the Allahabad high court. In March 2023, the court observed that there were several anomalies in the reservation process of the examination and directed the state to issue a new composite list of successful candidates within a period of three months. During the hearing before the Allahabad high court, the state government acknowledged that the Reservation Act had not been properly implemented. In response, a revised selection list was issued on January…

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EW India School Rankings 2024-25 (Part-II)

Last month (September) in Part I of EWISR 2024-25, we featured league tables rating and ranking over 3,000 day schools. In this issue we present national, state and parameter league tables of boarding schools (co-ed, boys and girls), international (day, day-cum-boarding and wholly residential), vintage legacy, government, special needs, philanthropy and budget private schools. Until 2007 when EducationWorld (estb. 1999) ideated and published the first-ever EducationWorld India School Rankings of the Indian subcontinent, there was little information in the public domain about the country’s best schools. Even excellent vintage schools such as Lawrence Sanawar and Lovedale, The Doon School, Bishop Cotton (Shimla and Bengaluru), Welham Boys (Dehradun), Woodstock (Mussoorie) and Kodaikanal International, among others established during the heyday of the British Raj, were selected for children of the well-to-do on the basis of word-of-mouth information and/or legacy considerations, i.e, their parents were alumni. Little hard information was available to compare and contrast the relative merits of the country’s best schools. As for the vast majority of day schools, their reputations were restricted to the cities and towns in which they were sited. Therefore one of the first major initiatives of EducationWorld (EW), promoted 25 years ago, was to launch the EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR) to enable parents to assess the relative merits of schools in their cities and beyond, on carefully ideated parameters of primary-secondary education excellence. This would enable them to shortlist, even if not select, schools best aligned with the aptitudes and special intelligences of their children. Since then, the annual EWISR presented to the public uninterruptedly for the past 17 years, has been continuously refined and has evolved into the world’s — yes, the world’s — largest and most comprehensive schools ranking survey. This year’s EWISR rates over 4,000 schools under three major heads — day, boarding, and international — and 14 sub-categories (to eliminate apples and oranges-type comparisons) in 458 cities and towns across India, a globally unprecedented initiative. This process of rating and ranking the country’s most admired primary-secondary schools culminates in an EWISR Awards event staged in Delhi NCR at which top-ranked schools in every sub-category in 458 cities, 28 states and nationally, are felicitated and awarded trophies and certificates. The process is onerous and expensive. Nevertheless, we have persisted with it for almost two decades, come rain or shine. That’s because in EducationWorld, we truly value all education institutions, especially the country’s 1.6 million schools. All over the country, principals, teachers, parents and students are trying, often in the face of overwhelming odds, to light the lamp of knowledge and learning which in our opinion, is the non-negotiable pre-condition of national development and advancement. It’s a matter of deep regret that successive governments and members of the establishment have not grasped this truism. That’s why the annual national (Centre plus states) outlay for public education has remained mired in the 3.5 percent of GDP rut as against the 6 percent mandated by the Kothari Commission way back in 1967. The consequence of…

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19th Anniversary Essay

Clearing Waqf corruption & confusion

– Mohammad Sajjad is Professor, modern and contemporary Indian history, Aligarh Muslim University Against the backdrop of the Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Bill 2024 having been referred to a JPC, the author proposes ways and means to fortify it With tabling of the United Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Bill 2024, in Parliament — since referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further examination — India’s 32 Waqf Boards have come under public scrutiny. They reportedly control 8.7 lakh properties spanning 9.4 lakh acres countrywide. Linguistically, the word Waqf (tied-up or locked up), also known as habs (locking, selling and purchase of assets earmarked as charitable endowments), or mortmain property, is an inalienable charitable endowment under Islamic law. Typically, it involves donating real estate — land and buildings — for Muslim religious or charitable purposes with no intention of reclaiming the donated assets. It’s important to note that a large proportion of Waqf property comprises graveyards (Qabristan) which don’t yield any income. Some paltry (mostly oral and unregistered) Waqf assets are owned by village/mohalla mosques (which are maintained through meagre or no incomes). These “assets” add to the corpus of Waqfs, but don’t yield any income. This is a point the Sachar Report (2006), which highlighted the poverty of India’s Muslim minority, failed to note. However it revealed that, “There are more than 4.9 lakh registered Waqfs (with estates and assets) spread across the country but the current annual income from these properties is only about Rs.163 crore, which amounts to a meagre 2.7 percent rate of return…. The current… market value (income generated) from Waqf properties can be put at Rs.1.2 lakh crore.” Misgivings about the Waqf Bill 2024. The proposed Bill challenges exclusive Muslim composition of the Waqf Boards as mandated by the Waqf Act 1995. It proposes to abolish the power of (provincial/state government) Waqf Boards to issue notices or hold enquiry into the ownership of property that it believes belongs to a Waqf. Another misgiving is that the mutawallis (managers/administrators) are obliged to transfer their power to District Collectors. Moreover, the proposed Bill doesn’t address the concerns recorded in the Sachar Report; nor does this Bill propose mandatory digital transparency by displaying all estates and assets of Waqfs on their websites. Another anomaly is that it doesn’t insist upon annual auditing of the income-expenditure of Waqf Boards. Similar legislation for governance of Hindu mutths (with large estates) and mahanths (who practically own and manage the mutths) has not been enacted. The Waqf Bill 2024, therefore, is discriminatory against Muslim institutions. Overall, mistrust between the Indian state and its Muslim community persists almost perpetually. India’s Muslims have all along been doggedly resisting state interference in reforming Muslim personal laws, and reforming the governance structure of the Aligarh Muslim University which is heavily dominated by certain cliques. Simultaneously, sections of India’s Muslim elites have also been misleading the by preventing initiatives to make necessary reforms from within. Therefore, some reforms need to be…

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India’s top-ranked co-ed boarding schools 2024-25

Offering pure, unpolluted air and excellent academic, co-curricular, sports and games facilities, while considerably reducing the stress and strain of latter-day parenting, co-ed boarding schools are experiencing a surge of popularity within upper middle and elite classes. For a nation taking its own time to march into modernity, co-ed schools in which male and girl children learn together and begin to practice gender egalitarianism and mutual respect in early age, are the way to go. These nation-building practices are best learned in co-ed boarding schools hosting children far removed from their home environments and providing neutral spaces to learn the virtues of independence and developing life skills of coexisting in peace and harmony with children from diverse cultures and backgrounds. In the new globalised world shrunk by trade, jet travel and the internet, lessons and life experiences that boarding schools — especially co-ed — provide children are invaluable. Particularly since the worst excesses of boarding schools such as cold showers, the lash, ‘gatings’ and prolonged isolation from family— commonplace in yesteryear boarding schools — are history. On the contrary, usually sited in pristine hills far from the country’s increasingly unlivable cities choked with road traffic and air pollution, they offer pure air and excellent academic, co-curricular, sports and games facilities, providing ideal environments for the healthy growth and development of children. Simultaneously, progressive boarding schools considerably reduce the stress and strains of latter day parenting. For all these reasons co-ed residential schools are experiencing a resurgence of popularity within the upper middle and elite classes of Indian society. In the annual EducationWorld India School Rankings, since 2022, boarding — indeed all schools — have been divided into two categories: newly established latter-day and ‘vintage legacy’ (over 90 years of age) to provide a level playing field and eliminate apples and oranges type evaluation. The parameters under which they are rated are common, except for ‘quality of alumni’ applicable only to vintage schools which have graduated large batches of students who have moved up corporate and other ladders. On the other hand, graduates of newly-promoted schools haven’t had sufficient time to make their mark. Against this backdrop of co-ed boarding schools becoming increasingly popular with the upper middle and elite households, it’s unsurprising that Capt. A.J. Singh, the cheerful Promoter-Director of Pinegrove School, Dharampur (PGD, estb.1991), is “highly elated” that this 30-year-old class VI-XII CBSE-affiliated school sited on two scenic campuses spread over 50 acres in the Himalayan foothills, is ranked India #1 for the second year in succession with highest scores under six of 14 parameters of school education excellence prescribed by EducationWorld. “All of us in PGD are elated that our school is re-ranked #1 countrywide in this competitive category by a new set of sample respondents. I believe our USP (unique sales proposition) is the sincerity with which all our stakeholders — teachers, parents and staff — work towards improving the happiness quotient of our children,” says Singh, an alum of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Indian Military…

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Delhi: Nuisance Hustings

Autar Nehru (Delhi) C counting of votes of the delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections which concluded on September 27, has been postponed by the Delhi high court. Responding to a petition filed by advocate Prashant Manchanda seeking directions to the government to take action against students who defaced public property during the hustings, the court permitted the university to continue with the election but barred it from counting the votes until it satisfies the court that all posters, hoardings, graffiti, and other campaign-related material are removed and public property is cleaned up. The next hearing is on October 21. While hearing the petition, the bench comprising Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela reprimanded the university for failing to take disciplinary action against students campaigning in the DUSU election and for “lacking moral authority and courage”. In an affidavit filed with the petition, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) declared that it removed four truckloads of material that included 16,000 billboards, 7,000 hoardings, 200,000 posters/pamphlets and 28,500 banners from the campuses of DU and its affiliated colleges. The petitioner contended that the Lyngdoh Committee Report (2006) was violated by DU students despite its endorsement by the Supreme Court. The committee was constituted 18 years ago by the Union ministry of human resource development (renamed Union education ministry), following a Supreme Court order to eliminate the influence of money and muscle power in student union elections. It inter alia prohibited students with criminal records or misconduct from contesting elections and limited expenditure to Rs.5,000 per contestant. The guidelines also banned the use of printed posters, pamphlets or any other printed material for canvassing, permitting only hand-made campaign material. In addition, the high court order directed the university to pay MCD Rs.4.55 lakh for removing illegal hoardings, posters, and banners. It also directed DU to bear the expenses incurred by other authorities, including government departments, and Delhi Metro, for restoring public property and to recover the costs incurred from candidates responsible for defacement of public property. Meanwhile despite feverish poster campaigns, social media relays, rallies and dispensing freebies (chocolates, cosmetics, movie tickets and alcohol), only 35 percent of 100,000 eligible DU and affiliated college students cast their ballots for the 21 candidates contesting the posts of president, vice-president, joint secretary and secretary. The main contestants for the four posts were backed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) the student wing of the BJP, and National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) of the Congress. Last year, ABVP won three seats, NSUI one. Although all major candidates were backed by national parties, the issues in the DUSU elections were trivial and self-serving, related to tuition fees concessions notwithstanding the reality that DU and affiliated colleges fees (Rs.4,000-60,000 per year) are arguably the lowest worldwide. For ABVP candidates, the main poll issues were ‘one course, one fee structure’ for all postgrad courses, centralised allocation of residential accommodation and scholarships for SC/ST, OBC and EWS categories. NSUI campaigned for greater funding for campus infrastructure,…

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EW Vintage legacy co-ed boarding schools 2024-25

“We are delighted to have regained our #1 rank which had slipped to #2 last year. Since then, we have worked hard to improve and excel under all EW survey parameters. Beyond that, our students have confidently participated in the Global Young Scholar Talent Search and LogiQids Higher Order Thinking tests introduced by EducationWorld this year. Evidently, they performed well in these tests because our academic reputation and curriculum (HOTS) score are higher this year. Our top scores under sports education, infrastructure, quality of alumni are also very satisfying. Lawrence, Sanawar is an NEP 2020 and National Curriculum Framework-compliant school committed to holistic, all-round development of our children. We use our campus as curriculum, with our 139-acre flora and fauna-rich campus serving as a live laboratory. We are also fortunate that our alumni are active contributors to the school’s growth and development and have generously funded new infrastructure facilities” — Himmat Dhillon, Headmaster, The Lawrence School, Sanawar (estb.1847; 677 students and 80 teachers)

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EW India’s top girls boarding schools 2024-25

In multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-lingual India, all-girls schools — especially boarding schools — discharge a very valuable nation-building duty. They thoroughly school girl children who for reasons of patriarchy, household conservatism and religious injunctions would have been prevented from accessing quality primary-secondary education. In all democracies worldwide gender segregated K-12 schools have gone out of date. And rightly so. Because when boys and girls start learning together from youngest age, they learn the virtues of mutual respect and gender egalitarianism, and also develop positive sentiments such as empathy and care. In multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-lingual and polyglot countries, all-girls schools discharge a very valuable nation-building duty. They thoroughly school girl children who for reasons of patriarchy, household conservatism and religious injunctions would have been prevented from accessing quality primary-secondary education. This is especially true of upscale girls boarding schools which provide their privileged girl children excellent holistic K-12 education on a par with the country’s most respected boys boarding schools modeled on Eton, Harrow and Rugby among others. And it’s useful to remember the observation of the Duke of Wellington after he famously defeated the all-conquering French Emperor Napoleon in 1815: “The (decisive) Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.” Therefore if girl children in premier girls boarding schools are receiving education on a par with the best boys boarding schools, it’s a progressive stride towards equality of the sexes, although it must be accepted that the percentage of the population who can afford to enroll their children in private girls boarding schools is minuscule. Nevertheless there is high probability that well-educated girls equipped with excellent academic, communication, co-curricular and sports education — that top-ranked girls boarding schools provide — will emerge as champions of women’s rights and lead less privileged women to assert their constitutional rights and assume positions of leadership within Indian society. Hence the high importance accorded to gender segregated girls schools and girls residential schools in particular in the annual EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR). Against this backdrop of attracting girl children from often conservative homes and educating them in progressive, egalitarian environments, the Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Gwalior (SKV, estb. 1956) has established the reputation of a model institution. Ranked first or second nationwide in the category of (non-vintage) girls boarding schools for the past five years, and joint #1 in 2023-24, SKV is ranked the sole #1 this year with a formidable total score (1324) well ahead of Welham Girls, Dehradun, and Ecole Globale International, Dehradun (1309) co-ranked #2. The composition of top table in 2024-25 has hardly changed from last year. Unison World School, Dehradun retains its #3 rank, followed by Mayo Girls, Ajmer and Birla Balika Vidyapeth, Pilani both ranked #4 (4). The new entrant to top table is the Heritage Girls, Udaipur ranked #5 (6). “Although we have been high ranked for several years, we aren’t complacent and are truly honoured that a different set of sample respondents has also ranked SKV India #1. We are gratified because it’s another…

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EW India’s best boys boarding schools 2024-25

The league table of sufficiently high-profile boys boarding schools has been shrinking year by year. This shrinkage has been attenuated by sub-division of the boarding schools league table into ‘legacy vintage’ schools All-boys boarding schools are an endangered genre. The league table of sufficiently high-profile boys boarding schools in the annual EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR, estb.2007) has been shrinking year by year. This shrinkage has been attenuated by sub-division of the boarding school league table into ‘legacy vintage’ schools (over 90 years of age). Therefore in EWISR 2024-25, the league table of non-vintage boys boarding schools includes a mere 13 institutions. But even if all-boys boardings are going out of fashion, it’s doubtful if the reputation and popularity of The Doon School, Dehradun (TDS, estb.1935) will ever diminish. Not even if its management hears the pleas of not a few ole boys, including formerly high profile bureaucrat-politician Mani Shankar Aiyar, to transform the class VI-X TDS into a co-ed boarding school. On the contrary, a co-ed TDS is likely to become even more popular and storm the ramparts of the country’s top-ranked co-ed boarding schools (Pinegrove, Kasauli, Chinmaya International, Coimbatore) in the annual EWISR. Meanwhile in this year’s EWISR, although TDS is top-ranked as usual followed by Sarala Birla Academy, Bangalore (estb.2004) which jointly ranked #2 with Welham Boys School (estb.1937) has maintained its rank of 2023-24, the top table of India’s most respected boys boarding schools is dominated by low-profile institutions promoted by the business house of Birla. In EWISR 2024-25, Vidya Niketan (formerly Birla Public School, estb.1944), Pilani is ranked #3, followed by Birla Vidyamandir, Nainital at #4, and G.D. Birla Memorial School, Ranikhet #5. All these three Birla boys boarding schools have retained their ranking of 2023-24 even as Sarala Birla Academy has retained its #2 rank. Evidently, the Birla clan’s organisation development and management expertise extends beyond corporate and business management. Although TDS has become accustomed to this ‘nationalist’ boarding school (promoted by Calcutta-based barrister C.R. Das in 1935 as a riposte to premier Brit-promoted boarding schools reluctant to admit native students) topping all school ranking surveys, headmaster Dr. Jagpreet Singh says that far from being jaded, he is “over-joyed” that TDS has retained its #1 rank in EWISR 2024-25. In particular, Singh is delighted that TDS has been awarded highest score under the parameters of competence of teachers and curriculum and pedagogy (HOTS). “Hitherto TDS was affiliated with three examination boards — Cambridge (UK), IB (Geneva) and CISCE, Delhi. Now we are in the process of phasing out our affiliation with Cambridge and IB and to become solely affiliated with CISCE. But while remaining with CISCE, we are also in the process of developing our own curriculum aligned with NEP 2020 which will venture far beyond the board’s syllabus/curriculum. The new TDS curriculum will offer students the option of choosing majors and minors crafted by CISCE with strong focus on vocational and life skills to make our students future-ready for employment and entrepreneurship from…

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EW Vintage legacy girls boarding schools 2024-25

“It’s wonderful to learn that All Saints has been voted India’s #1 legacy girls boarding school in the prestigious EW rankings. This recognition was long overdue. Spread over 36 acres in Nainital, we are one of the country’s most well-reputed all-girls boarding schools. In All Saints, we are not content to merely provide rigorous academic and co-curricular education, our mission is to prepare girl children to assume leadership positions in society. Therefore, our focus is on all-round holistic education with students encouraged to participate in a range of co-curricular and sports activities, as also acquire life skills including self-defence training. That’s why I am very happy with our top scores under the parameters of curriculum and pedagogy, co-curricular education and mental and emotional well-being” — K.E. Jeremiah, Principal, All Saints’ College, Nainital (estb.1869, 600 students and 60 teachers)

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EW India’s Best state government day schools 2024-25

“It’s a matter of immense pride and joy that Government Model, Chandigarh has been promoted to India’s #1 state government school. This is the result of the dedication, hard work, and vision of our entire school community. I am especially pleased with our top score for teacher welfare and development because we regularly conduct in-service training programs for our teachers to acquaint them with new pedagogies, ICT integration, and inclusive education. The outcome is our top score for academic reputation. Of the 438 students who wrote the class XII CBSE exam, 98.86 percent passed and 101 students averaged above 90 percent. Apart from academics, co-curricular and sports education are given high importance as indicated by our highest scores under these important parameters. Moreover to prepare students with career-ready skills, we are shortly introducing vocational courses in areas such as digital marketing, web development, entrepreneurship, and fashion design” — Bhavneet Kaur (left), Principal, Govt. Model. Sr. Sec. School, Sector-16, Chandigarh (2,680 students, 80 teachers) “Although we have conceded our last year’s #1 ranking, we are proud to be awarded top scores under the parameters of faculty competence, co-curricular education and individual attention to students. This is proof that our teachers are highly motivated and dedicated and working towards the all-round development of our students. Our teachers are continuously engaged in professional development programmes that advance their digital competencies and subject matter knowledge. They actively attend online MOOCs and participate in international forums such as CENTA and TESOL and in Mindfulness and Heartfulness programmes. Besides academics, our teachers and students actively engage in green initiatives by planting trees, producing organic manure, maintaining kitchen and herbal gardens and implementing a ban on single use plastic” — Dr. Atul Kumar (centre right), Head of School, RPVV, Sec-10, Dwarka (702 students, 50 teachers)

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EW Vintage legacy boys boarding schools 2024-25

“We are thrilled that BCS is ranked India’s #1 legacy boys boarding school by EducationWorld, a market leader institution. This is acknowledgement of the entire school community’s efforts to continuously improve under all parameters of K-12 education excellence. Last year, BCS became a Cambridge International, UK-affiliated school, and now offers students the CISCE and Cambridge curriculums. Several of our teachers have undergone Cambridge training programmes positively impacting classroom pedagogies and student learning outcomes. Therefore, I am delighted about the high scores awarded to us under the teacher development and faculty competence parameters. I am also pleased with our high scores on the co-curricular and sports education parameters. Our students play nationally and internationally — our cricket team has the distinction of playing against Eton College, UK. Moreover, our top score for quality of alumni is very satisfying as our alumni are actively involved with the school through student mentoring programmes and scholarship grants” — Simon D. Weale (centre right), Director, Bishop Cotton School, Shimla (estb.1859, 410 students and 56 teachers).

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EW India’s best international day schools 2024-25

In EWISR 2024-25 in the broad international schools category, the fastest growing segment is that of international day schools because they provide globally benchmarked teaching-learning at relatively affordable prices compared with capital-intensive international day-cum-boarding and fully residential schools. Even if governments at the Centre and in states haven’t yet cottoned on that high-quality globally benchmarked school and higher education is the best passport to success in the competitive and increasingly complex workplaces of the 21st century, India’s fast expanding middle and elite classes are well-aware of this truism. Therefore, they are in a rush to sign up their progeny for international schools affiliated with foreign exam boards such as Cambridge International (UK), International Baccalaureate (Geneva) and Advanced Placement (USA). And supply is rising to meet demand. According to India Report 2023-24 of ISC Research, a UK-based research organisation that collates and disseminates data on international schools worldwide, 900 international schools with an aggregate enrollment of 416,000 students are operational in India. And over the past five years, this sector has witnessed a 14 percent increase in the number of schools, 40 percent rise in student enrollment, 36 percent growth in staff recruitment, and 49 percent surge in fee income. Unsurprisingly, in the broad international schools category, the fastest growing segment is that of international day schools because they provide globally benchmarked teaching-learning at relatively affordable prices compared with capital-intensive international day-cum-boarding and fully residential schools. It’s not surprising therefore that the largest league table under the international schools category of the EW India School Rankings 2024-25 is of day schools. With greenfield schools mushrooming in metros, state capitals and even tier-II, III and IV cities to meet surging demand for international certification, the 2024-25 league table of India’s top-ranked international day schools is 157-strong (cf. 117 in 2021-22) with schools rated and ranked in 45 cities across the country. In the 2024-25 EW league table of India’s most admired international day schools, there’s a minor reshuffle at top table. This year, the 8,700 knowledgeable sample respondents interviewed by our new field research agency AZ Research Partners, Bengaluru have promoted Oberoi International School, Mumbai to #1+ (2 in 2023-24) co-ranked with Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, which has retained its #1 rank of the past 12 years. Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai and Pathways School, Gurgaon have retained their #2 and #3 ranks of 2023-24 while JBCN International School, Parel, Mumbai has inched up to #3 (4). Ecole Mondiale World School, Mumbai has ceded ground and is ranked #4 (2) jointly with Jamnabai Narsee International School, Mumbai (3). Three schools jointly ranked #5 — The Riverside School, Ahmedabad (5), Utpal Shanghvi Global School, Mumbai (4) and Podar International School, Santacruz (W), Mumbai (6) — complete top table. Established in 2008, the IB-affiliated Oberoi International School (OIS) has been awarded highest scores under the parameters of faculty competence, teacher welfare and development, parental involvement, sports education and infrastructure provision. Currently, OIS has an enrolment of 3,100 students mentored by 600 faculty and…

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Slavery by other name

The Indentured and Their Route: A Relentless Quest for Identity Bhaswati Mukherjee Rupa Publications Rs.595 Pages 214 As soon as slavery was outlawed in all territories of the British empire in 1834, the practice of indenturing labour from India began This is a book which chronicles the use, by indenturing, of 1.3 million impoverished labourers from eastern and southern India for cultivation in the British-owned plantations in West Indies, Fiji and Mauritius. It tells a grim tale of inhumane conditions, both in the voyage to far flung plantations as well as the torturous conditions of work they had to endure in alien situations. As analysed by other scholars, the book refers to the link between the legislation which ended slavery in British territories by 1808 as well as the end of ‘apprenticeship’ by former slaves in British-owned plantations in 1834, and the indenturing of labour, primarily from India, starting in 1834 itself. The arrangement implied the need to find labour to work in near servitude conditions so not to interrupt cultivation in plantations owned by British financiers. A diplomat by profession, Bhaswati Mukherjee wears the robe of a meticulous historian in drafting the contents of this slim book. She highlights three specific aspects of her proposed analysis in its blurb. They include: (a) differential between indentured status and slavery (or coolitude) of workers; (b) a need to discover the route (or journey) of the indentured, and (c) the search for identity serving as saviour for the indentured, flourishing over time as diaspora. Mukherjee further comments, in the preface which follows, on the forgotten indentured route, contrasting the slave route which was brought to light by Unesco and African states in 2014. However, the author contradicts herself with her citations of available literature which abound, very appropriately, in her scholarly book. Before proceeding further, she highlights how unfair the practice of indenturing turned out, with ‘so-called’ written contracts (girmit) and migration to undisclosed destinations, was different in form (but not content) to slavery. Only one-fifth of the 1.3 million recruited between 1838 and 1917 (when the system ended) returned to India. Thus the perilous conditions of the journey which took a toll on 80 percent of the recruits continued, despite the promise agreed upon in their contract (or girmit) of providing return fare! The reasons are documented in the following chapters. The deceit implicit in the so-called girmit was the promise of a better life and safe return home on completion of work over a minimum period. The causes of migration were that impoverished labourers in India’s countryside faced severe famine (mostly man-made), commercialisation of agriculture and huge transfers of financial resources to meet Britain’s overseas expenses (titled as ‘home charges’) — all of which resulted from policies which suited Great Britain. These conditions made it easy for recruiters (arkatiy) to entice and trap the poor for the undisclosed voyage. Incidentally, payments to recruiters by higher officials were made on the basis of the number recruited. Those lured (or even blackmailed…

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Inspiring biographies

The Padmas: Fifty Stories of Perseverance Neha J. Hiranandani; Illustrations by David Yambem Penguin Random House Rs.399 Pages 104 The stories of 50 Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardees from all walks of life are written in this engaging compendium No matter what stage of life we may be at, positive role models are worthy of emulation. For children, personal encounter with or learning about inspiring role models can powerfully impact the course of their lives. Learning, or knowing about individuals who have made valuable contributions to society in a range of fields can invest children with enthusiasm to emulate their example. It can give them a sense of direction and determination, meaning and purpose as they transition to adolescence and adulthood. This well-crafted book serves this purpose brilliantly. Penned by author and columnist Neha J. Hiranandani and beautifully illustrated by animator and illustrator David Yambem, Fifty Stories of Perseverance narrates the heroic deeds of 50 exemplary Padma awardees — women and men from various parts of India who have been awarded one or the other of the three Padma awards (Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri) for notable contribution in different spheres of life and activity (with some having received more than one of the three Padma awards). In a span of two pages, readers are provided brief biographies of every awardee’s life (including, in several cases, reference to major challenges they faced and their response) and the significant achievement for which they were conferred a Padma award, with every biography accompanied by a delightful illustration. The 50 Padma awardees whose stories are included in this book are from across the country, and from diverse social backgrounds. They have made noteworthy contributions in numerous vocations and walks of life — social service, music, literature, animal welfare, education, science and technology and health. The stories of these extraordinary men and women are narrated in a straight-forward and endearing style so that not just children, but adults, too, can draw motivation and education from them. A compendium to grace every library, it’s a perfect gift for growing children. The Padmas is a great way to enable children to rise above the ordinary and serve the cause of the greater good in meaningful ways. One hopes this book will be followed by a comprehensive volume detailing the lives of all Padma awardees thus far. Yoginder Sikand

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Why health education should be mandatory in every school

Dr. RAHUL MEHRA

— Dr. Rahul Mehra is Chairman, Tarang Health Alliance (www.taranghealthalliance.org), National Representative of India, UNESCO Chair, Global Health & Education

It’s very difficult to improve health habits of the average Indian adult. Therefore the long-term solution is to educate India’s children to develop healthy habits at a time when their minds […]

EW India’s Top 20 Special Needs Schools 2024-25

“It’s a dream come true to be ranked India’s #1 special needs school with top scores on four of ten parameters of special needs education excellence in our golden anniversary year. For this, credit must be given to our dedicated teachers and therapists who are awarded highest score under the individual attention to students parameter. Our varied activities, events and training have enabled students to become more aware, contributing members of society. Indeed, we are proud that every student graduating from SPJSS has secured meaningful employment in mainstream society. Sharing our best practices, working to secure internships and employment in mainstream society for our well-educated students are always high on our agenda” — Fionika Sanghvi (centre), Principal, SPJ Sadhana School, Mumbai (68 students, 30 teachers) “This is a huge honour and we accept this recognition with humility. Our leap forward from #8 last year to #3 this year is due to the hard work of our dedicated teachers and staff awarded the highest score under competence of faculty. We are equally grateful to our parents who partner with us with trust, patience and positivity. Our high scores under infrastructure is also testimony to the enabling environment we provide our teachers and students. In the near future, we intend to reach out to special needs learners countrywide by replicating the Aatman Academy model. Our research and training division is all set to expand our programmes including an iLEAD program for cultivating a culture of inclusion. This programme has received a Global Teacher Grant 2024 from the US department of state education and cultural affairs” — Manjushree Patil, Director, Aatman Academy, Thane (65 students, 25 teachers, 32 staff)

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Certification corruption

Last month EducationWorld featured a cover story on raging skilling, upskilling and reskilling fever sweeping the country. Despite the Mahatma’s advice that children should learn with hands apart from head and heart, vocational education has been a blind-spot of the country’s omniscient education policy formulators for over seven decades. And although youth in schools and colleges, and adults in executive suites yearn for and are prepared to pay for high quality VET, administrative ineptitude and reckless certification rooted in subcontinental corruption which has wormed its way deep into the bowels of the education system, may well sabotage 21st century India’s belated discovery of critically important VET. Following outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the entry of Palestinian labour into Israel has reduced dramatically, especially in the construction industry. Therefore a few months ago, the Netanyahu government in Tel Aviv decided to recruit 10,000 trained construction labour from India. According to a report in the Indian Express (September 10), 5,000 workers were recruited through two “pathways” — Government-to-Government (G2G) supervised by NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation) and Business-to-Business (B2B) through private agencies supervised by the Union Ministry of External Affairs. Israel’s requirement was for labour trained for low-skilled, iron bending, plastering and ceramic tiling jobs. To select suitably qualified workers (who would be paid Rs.1.9 lakh per month), three rounds of “professional tests” were conducted in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana. According to the Tel Aviv-based Elda Nitzen, chairman of the Union Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, most of the ‘tested’ workers had never worked in the construction industry, and many “did not even know how to hold a hammer”. For monitors of India’s education system, the causes of this debacle are clear. Slapdash training, ‘incentivised’ assessment and reckless certification. Little wonder back home, newly built roads soon exhibit crater size potholes, and bridges collapse with regular frequency.

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EW Super 40 Budget Private Schools national 2024-25

“This valuable award is a monument to the steadfast devotion and diligence of our whole school community and a reward for our joint efforts to deliver high-quality education at reasonable price. It is also a testament to the dedication of our teachers who have created a school environment in which every child can develop intellectually, socially, and emotionally. We value our teachers and are committed to their welfare and development. That’s why the top score for teacher welfare and development is very satisfying. In St. Mary’s, our objective is to provide our children balanced holistic education. Therefore, attaining highest scores under the parameters of co-curricular education and curriculum and pedagogy are also very satisfying. Moreover, our highest score for leadership is again a tribute to our amazing teachers. Sports education is also a high priority for us. The school is thrilled to announce the addition of a rifle shooting range on our campus and additionally, we are introducing advanced practice sessions for all sports, with special focus on gymnastics. We are recognised as a Microsoft showcase school and committed to improve the HOTS (higher order thinking skills) of our students. All this at affordable cost to parents as indicated by our highest score under the parameter of value for money” — Bharat Malik (right), Chairman, St. Mary’s High School, Kalyan (1,665 students, 74 teachers) “We are honoured and humbled to be co-ranked India’s #1 budget private school. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to providing high-quality K-12 education at affordable price. Our success stems from a combination of competent teachers, who provide holistic high-quality academic, co-curricular and sports education as indicated by our high scores under all these parameters. We also provide our children excellent infrastructure and a safe and hygienic environment as testified by our highest scores under these parameters. Looking ahead, we plan to expand our digital infrastructure, introduce new programs that improve students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and focus on enhancing their mental and emotional well-being” — Rekha Wadhe, Principal, Mukarram Jah School, Hyderabad (2,500 students, 130 teachers)

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Calculated complexity

When the BJP government at the Centre introduced a central GST (Goods and Services Tax) seven years ago to replace widely divergent sales taxes levied by state governments, the initiative was widely welcomed. In the ancien regime, retail prices of goods varied countrywide, because state governments imposed diverse sales tax on goods, often leading to smuggling across state borders. Therefore, the idea of imposing a GST which would also levy a tax on services to augment the tax pool to be shared between Centre and states, was universally welcomed in the interests of price equalisation. Octroi, a tax imposed by municipal governments on all goods entering towns and cities was also abolished. Although the tax structure had the stamp of approval of the GST Council comprising the finance ministers of all states, it was essentially drafted by the bureaucracy, which drew up such a complex GST structure that it has massively boosted official corruption for which India has a globally infamous reputation. On September 11, at a public meeting with Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, a respected Coimbatore-based restauranter pleaded for a single tax on food items by citing the example of a bread bun which is exempt from GST but attracts 18 percent GST if cream is added prior to service. For plain-speaking, the businessman was forced to apologise to the minister because the interaction was broadcast on social media. Yet the plain truth is that worldover the GST or VAT (which is levied only on goods, not services) is levied under a single, or at best two categories of goods, and not four as in India. As a result, there is great confusion about the amount of GST chargeable for a huge number of goods and services, aggravating the burden of doing business. Moreover by threatening harsh penalties for misclassification or misinterpretation of complex provisions of the GST Act, tax officials are reported to be extorting huge sums from businessmen, most of whom prefer to pay up rather than resort to expensive snail-paced litigation. That’s why India is ranked the world’s 93rd (of 180) most corrupt country in the Corruption Perception Index of the Berlin-based Transparency International.

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Not right enough

Dr. Ambedkar, widely admired as the father of the Constitution, was right. “What is the village but a sink of localism, a den of ignorance, narrow-mindedness and communalism,” he observed way back in 1948. But Dr. Ambedkar could have added another debilitating feature of village India: deep-rooted corruption. The disastrous rule (1947-64) of patrician Harrow School and Cambridge University graduate Jawaharlal Nehru who grafted Soviet-inspired socialism quickly reduced high-potential post-independence India to a “ship-to-mouth” economy pathetically dependent upon grain exports from America. Subsequently, Indian politics especially in the states, was swamped by ignorant, narrow minded, communalist rural politicians who also imported the casual routine corruption of village India into the Central and state governments. Half a century on, several rural titans catapulted into chief ministerial positions, are struggling to hold on to their shaky thrones because of corruption charges against them. India’s rural politicians riding on the backs of an ignorant rural majority have transformed Indian politics into flourishing family businesses. Worse, they have infiltrated their kith and kin en masse into offices of governance. As a result, no document moves from desk to desk without ‘speed money’. And the latest gambit of this tribe is to extend affirmative action to OBCs (other backward castes), who rule rural India with an iron hand, beyond the 50 percent ceiling imposed by the Supreme Court, a blatant conspiracy that has the support of Rahul Gandhi, Nehru’s champagne socialist great grandson, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Dr. Ambedkar was right, but not right enough.

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EW India’s Top 30 Government Boarding Schools 2024-25

“We are very proud that RMS, Bengaluru has been promoted from India #5 last year to India’s #1 government boarding school this year. I attribute this promotion to well-defined objectives, emphasis on character development, values education, goals setting, efficient resource allocation and utilisation, and our management’s receptivity to innovation. Our visionary leadership, reflected in our highest score under the parameter of leadership/management quality, sets high standards for education excellence and guidelines for discipline, determination and dedication of staff and cadets. Our highest scores for co-curricular education and sports education are proof that we provide holistic education that prepares our students for the defence services. We are also in the process of aligning our curriculum with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and latest trends in Indian education” — Lt Col K Anup Nair (centre right), Commandant of Rashtriya Military School, Bengaluru (414 student cadets, 26 teachers)

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EW India’s best international day-cum-boarding schools 2024-25

Sprawled across capital-intensive campuses on the peripheries of populous metros and rising cities, offering superb academic and sports facilities, day-cum-boarding schools affiliated with offshore exam boards are becoming popular within the country’s fast multiplying upscale households. International day-cum-boarding schools are sui generis. Affiliated with offshore exam boards such as Cambridge International (UK), International Baccalaureate (Geneva) and Advanced Placement (USA), they sprawl across capital-intensive campuses on the outskirts of India’s populous metros and big cities offering superb academic and sports facilities, well-furbished student housing, and globally benchmarked pedagogies delivered by highly trained teachers. And because they offer children day and boarding options, day-cum-boarding schools are becoming popular within the country’s fast-multiplying upscale nuclear households. The 2024-25 league table of India’s best international day-cum-boarding schools has undergone seismic change. The 12-year reign of Indus International School, Bangalore (IIS-B, estb.2003) as the country’s #1 international day-cum-boarding has ended. This time round the 8,700 parents, principals, teachers and educators interviewed by our new field survey agency AZ Research Partners, have voted the perpetual bridesmaid — The International School, Bangalore (TISB, estb.2000) — India #1. Runner-up for the past three years (2021-23), TISB has bested rival IIS-B by a comfortable margin with highest scores under the critical parameters of faculty competence (given double weightage), teacher welfare and development, academic reputation, curriculum and pedagogy and leadership/management quality. Dr. K.P. Gopalkrishna, the legendary promoter-chairman of the top-ranked National Public School (NPS) group of institutions and TISB, is delighted that the garden city’s pioneer international school “has got its due”. “We are happy with this overdue recognition, especially top scores awarded to us on the critical parameters of faculty competence, teacher welfare and development and academic reputation. Our teachers are our prize assets rigorously trained in our TISB Training Academy and provided excellent annual remuneration starting at Rs.1.5 lakh per month and rising to over Rs.12 lakh plus residential accommodation on our 140-acre campus. Our high score for academic reputation is entirely deserved. Fifteen TISB students secured the maximum 45 average score in the IB diploma programme with the graduating batch of 2024 awarded scholarships valued at $14.5 million by globally top-ranked universities. I am also very pleased with our highest score under the mental and emotional well-being services parameter. It is proof that our well-trained and competent teachers are providing a happy learning experience to our students. Moreover TISB’s high score under curriculum and pedagogy is because we also accord full importance to co-curricular subjects such as public speaking, leadership and entrepreneurship,” says Gopalkrishna, who modestly declined to comment on TISB’s top score under the leadership parameter. Sited on a fully equipped campus with excellent sports facilities, TISB has an enrolment of 1,100 students (with 175 awarded generous scholarships) mentored by 53 teachers. TISB’s overdue elevation to India #1 has precipitated a reshuffle of the seating order at top table. Pathways World School, Gurgaon has retained its #2 rank of 2023-24, jointly with the Lancers International School, Gurugram, awarded a handsome promotion (#5 in 2023-24). Last year’s…

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EW India’s Top Central Government Day School 2024-25

“We are delighted to be ranked India’s best Central government day school for the third year in succession with top scores for teacher welfare and development, co-curricular and sports education. This reflects not only our academic achievements but also our dedication to nurturing well-rounded individuals equipped with the values and life skills required for success in the armed forces and other workplaces. We accord high importance to sports education because it develops students’ teamwork, discipline, and physical fitness. And our highest score under leadership/management is a tribute not only to the management but also our students who are destined to become leaders. To develop leadership skills we conduct periodic workshops featuring industry leaders to teach our students essential negotiation, teamwork, and strategic thinking skills vital for effective leadership.” — Neetu Kapoor, Principal, APS Delhi Cantt (3,560 students mentored by 155 teachers) “Being ranked India’s #1 Central government day school for two years in a row is wonderful news! It is the outcome of the dedication, hard work and excellence demonstrated by the entire school community. I am especially pleased that our teachers have been awarded a very high score under the parameter of competence of faculty and highest score for curriculum and pedagogy. This is because innovations such as flipped classroom teaching is practised extensively supplemented with quizzes, Kahoot, Jamboard, colour wheel, virtual labs etc. Teacher welfare and development is also an important focus area for us. Our #1 ranking in the prestigious EWISR obliges us to maintain our top rank by continuing to adapt to the changing educational landscape to prepare students to assume leadership positions in the defence services and society” — Dr. Nandana Khare, Principal, Navy Children School, Colaba, Mumbai (2,224 students mentored by 110 teachers)

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Laudable innovations Kudos to Team EW for publishing the EducationWorld India School Rankings 2024-25 Part I (EW September). It’s a good decision to publish only the Top 100 co-ed day schools in the print magazine. Not only will this save your organisation costly newsprint but also inspire schools in Tier II-III cities and towns — most of whom are ranked online — to improve their education standards to move into the Top 100. Also laudable is your initiative to introduce the Global Young Scholar Talent Search Test in partnership with the US-based Global Young Scholar, and the Higher Order Thinking Test with LogIQids. These innovations give greater heft to EWISR and set it in a class apart. Dipika Maiti Kolkata Not acceptable Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, Indore is a leading educational institution of Madhya Pradesh and we firmly believe in balancing academic excellence with value education. Our school has been giving city toppers in the CBSE class X and XII board examinations continuously for the past three years. Moreover this year we created history by being the only school to give five city toppers in class X and XII board examinations. The children of our school are also shining stars in various CBSE and SGFI sports tournaments. In light of this excellent record, we fail to understand the #2 ranking (Indore city) given to us, and we want to know the parameters for the ranking and judgement. I would further like to inform you that we haven’t volunteered for participation in the survey. Despite this we have been rated and ranked. This is not acceptable to us. Dr. Anju Chopra Principal, Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, Indore All well-known schools rated and ranked by more than 20 sample respondents are evaluated and ranked in the annual EWISR, regardless of voluntary participation. We believe Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution endows us the fundamental right to do so — Editor Welcome new partnership Congratulations for bringing out the humongous EducationWorld India School Rankings (EW September) uninterruptedly for the past 17 years. I welcome your new partnership with AZ Research Partners Pvt. Ltd. I believe this partnership will invest EWISR with additional reliability and robustness. Dhananjay Rao Chennai Important difference Greenfield Convent School (West Bengal) extends its heartfelt thanks to Team EducationWorld for ranking our school Janaphul’s #1 co-ed day school. However, I would like to bring to your notice that our school is sited in Habra while Janaphul is only the demographic location. Santanu Goswami Principal, Greenfield Convent School, Habra Transparency request I am writing to you on behalf of Sunbeam School Deoria. For the third consecutive year, our school has been placed in second position, and while we have no objections to this placement, we are eager to understand the specific criteria on which the rankings are based. We want to identify the areas where we may be lacking and work on improving them. We believe that transparency in the evaluation process will help us enhance our efforts…

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EW Vintage Legacy International Residential Schools 2024-25

“We are thrilled to be ranked India’s #1 legacy international residential school by EducationWorld for the fifth year in succession. The stability and longevity of schools in this category give credence to their blend of heritage and innovation that lead to outstanding education provision. In this 170-year-old school, we have developed and maintained consistently high standards that have stood the test of time. I attribute this consistency to excellent executive and board-level leadership, outstanding national and international faculty, students invested in transformative experiential education, and state-of-the-art facilities. I am especially pleased that Woodstock is awarded top scores for faculty competence, academic reputation, co-curricular education and individual attention to students because we accord highest importance to these areas. Retention of the highest rank is the outcome of the hard work of our administrative staff, our faculty, and particularly our students who come from over 35 countries to experience Woodstock’s proven capability to develop lifelong learners in classrooms, outdoor, and digital spaces” — Dr. Craig Cook, Principal, Woodstock School, Mussoorie (estb.1854, 473 students and 80 teachers).

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EducationWorld International Residential Schools 2024-25

“We are delighted to be ranked India #1 in our competitive new category of international residential schools. This is the outcome of the sustained efforts of our excellent faculty and students, and particularly vision of our Chairman Dr. Chenraj Roychand who believes that a genuinely holistic curriculum is necessary to nurture leaders and entrepreneurs that India needs. Therefore, we are very pleased that JIRS is awarded top scores for sports education, infrastructure provision, safety and hygiene and pastoral care. JIRS’ sports infrastructure and education is unmatched. We offer 17 sports and games, 30 certified sports coaches and students receive coaching of 550 hours per year — 360 of core sport, 125 of life skills sports and 65 hours of leisure sports coaching. Likewise, pastoral care and safety and hygiene are top priorities with one house parent designated for every 24 students and safety audits conducted regularly by NABET and ISO:9001. Moreover, the school’s catering, laundry and housekeeping services are provided by Sodexo, France. JIRS is a new-age gurukul which combines best global education standards with Indian culture” — Rudra Kumar Sharma (seated third from left), Chief Operating Officer, Jain International Residential School, Bengaluru (estb.1999, 716 students and 90 teachers).

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India’s Top Central Government Day School 2024-25

“We are delighted to be ranked India’s best Central government day school for the third year in succession with top scores for teacher welfare and development, co-curricular and sports education. This reflects not only our academic achievements but also our dedication to nurturing well-rounded individuals equipped with the values and life skills required for success in the armed forces and other workplaces. We accord high importance to sports education because it develops students’ teamwork, discipline, and physical fitness. And our highest score under leadership/management is a tribute not only to the management but also our students who are destined to become leaders. To develop leadership skills we conduct periodic workshops featuring industry leaders to teach our students essential negotiation, teamwork, and strategic thinking skills vital for effective leadership.” — Neetu Kapoor, Principal, APS Delhi Cantt (3,560 students mentored by 155 teachers) “Being ranked India’s #1 Central government day school for two years in a row is wonderful news! It is the outcome of the dedication, hard work and excellence demonstrated by the entire school community. I am especially pleased that our teachers have been awarded a very high score under the parameter of competence of faculty and highest score for curriculum and pedagogy. This is because innovations such as flipped classroom teaching is practised extensively supplemented with quizzes, Kahoot, Jamboard, colour wheel, virtual labs etc. Teacher welfare and development is also an important focus area for us. Our #1 ranking in the prestigious EWISR obliges us to maintain our top rank by continuing to adapt to the changing educational landscape to prepare students to assume leadership positions in the defence services and society” — Dr. Nandana Khare, Principal, Navy Children School, Colaba, Mumbai (2,224 students mentored by 110 teachers).

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Continuous Erosion of Social Contract

According to the national crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Report 2024, the number of reported crimes in India last year was 445.9 for every 100,000 people, slightly lower (487.8) than in 2022. The most frequent crime is theft, followed by robbery and assault. States with greatest lawlessness are Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Bihar, and crime rates are higher in urban areas compared to rural India. “The overall crime rate has decreased due to more police presence, better law enforcement, and increased public awareness about crime,” says the report. This claim that crime and criminality nationwide has decreased even marginally, is difficult to digest. Quite the contrary, if the tidal wave of breaking stories on television, banner headlines in newspapers and viral postings on social media are indicative. Crime has increased exponentially with several states of the Indian Union hurtling towards anarchy. In this connection, it’s important to note that NCRB provides data of reported crimes. And as is highlighted every second day in the media, police personnel countrywide are very reluctant to record criminal complaints because if the number of unsolved crimes in their jurisdiction increases, it will adversely impact their career progression. Rising lawlessness and collapse of public confidence in the police, judiciary, bureaucracy and politicians are symptomatic of a gradual breakdown of the social contract in society. This is evidenced by prolonged street-level agitations as in the aftermath of the brutal murder-rape of a woman doctor in Kolkata, spate of exams cheating cases in academia and mob-lynchings of people suspected of a variety of offences ranging from child kidnap to cattle smuggling. Frustrated with the law’s delay and contumely of elected leaders, angry citizens are increasingly applauding vigilante justice and ‘encounter’ executions. And not only lay citizens. Even duly elected governments are resorting to ‘bulldozer justice’ by razing painstakingly built homes of mere suspects of wrong-doing. That the Supreme Court of India took its own time to condemn bulldozer justice freely dispensed in several north Indian states is painful evidence of the imminent collapse of the social contract. Although it seems self-evident, there is little awareness within Indian society that high quality early childhood and primary-secondary education with revised syllabuses/curriculums that teach morality and civic obligations to children from youngest age, is the best prescription for restoring rule of law, social order and harmony. Eminent academics, economists and sociologists confabulating in high councils, seminars and think tanks are paying too little attention to the country’s collapsed public education system. The development strategy of restricting quality education to the middle class while denying it to the over one billion underclass citizens, is deepening social inequality and schisms. Unless the education deficit is made good, the social contract will suffer continuous erosion.

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Three pre-conditions of Viksit Bharat

Although government leaders and spokespersons proclaim from every housetop and public platform that the Indian economy is clocking “highest worldwide” GDP growth and is in a sweet-spot smoothly navigating towards the objectives of Viksit Bharat and a $30 trillion (from the current $3 trillion) GDP by 2047, the reality is that it is sailing in deceptively treacherous waters that could sink it very quickly. Rising youth unemployment, inflation and pernicious administrative corruption against the backdrop of continuous stoking of communal, caste and religious tensions could quick-start a whirlpool that could rapidly overwhelm the ship of state. To prevent such an eventuality it is important to make a proper diagnosis of the Indian polity and economy. The major and most enduring infirmity of the Indian state is that despite the relatively high GDP growth rates of the new millennium, annual GDP growth of over seven decades in post-independence India has averaged a mere 4 percent, even as the country’s population has quadrupled. The socialist heavy industry, capital intensive development model has failed abysmally to provide adequate employment for the world’s largest youth population. Currently, youth (15-29 age group) unemployment is at an all-time high of 10.2 percent even as 60 percent of the population is under-employed in the agriculture sector. Clearly, the inorganic socialist development model has failed and needs to be jettisoned bag and baggage. The root cause of pervasive unemployment/under-employment that is destabilising law and order countrywide, is continuous neglect of public education, especially primary-secondary learning. Continuous under-investment averaging a mere 3-3.5 percent of GDP per year (cf. global average of 5 percent) in human resource development has wrecked the country’s 1.20 million government schools defined by crumbling buildings, multigrade classrooms, chronic teacher absenteeism and rock-bottom learning outcomes. Weak foundational education is carried forward into higher education institutions where misalignment of syllabuses/curriculums with expectations of India Inc has exacerbated the unemployment problem. The third national infirmity that needs urgent redressal is over-liberal affirmative action, aka reservation, in higher education and government jobs. While there is an arguable case for persistence with reservations at entry level for scheduled castes and tribes, extension of reservation to OBCs (other backward castes/classes) has enabled mass entry of an under-educated, amoral lumpen bourgeoisie into higher education institutions and public administration, driving down academic standards and government productivity. Grasping these nettles is the precondition of realizing the ambitious goals set for Viksit Bharat 2047.

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Letter from the Editor

This issue of EducationWorld marks the culmination of several months of mountainous labour in our Bangalore and Mumbai offices. The EW team has been burning the proverbial midnight oil compiling, checking and rechecking the EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR) 2024-25 league tables published in our September and current issue. When school leaders, advertisers and sponsors are informed that the annual EWISR is the world’s largest and most comprehensive schools ranking survey, their eyes tend to glaze and the subject is swiftly changed. Yet the plain truth is that the entire process kick-started by our new field research agency — AZ Research Partners who stepped into the breach after our long-standing research partner C fore abruptly terminated our contract (further comment is proscribed as the issue is sub judice) — initiating one-on-one interviews with 8,700 sample respondents (educationists, principals, teachers and parents) countrywide and ending with the editorial team finalising the EWISR league tables which rank day, boarding and international schools divided into 14 sub-categories under 14 parameters of primary-secondary education excellence, spanned almost six months. Strenuous additional effort was simultaneously invested by our marketing and sales office personnel in Mumbai to alert and provide opportunity to advertisers and sponsors to participate in our follow-up EWISR Awards event scheduled to be staged in Gurgaon, Delhi NCR on October 17-19 when leaders of India’s top-ranked schools will be felicitated and celebrated. Yet we believe this monumental institutional application and effort involved in publishing the annual EWISR is time well spent. Because the 4,000 (out of 1.6 million) schools ranked in the EWISR league tables are engaged in providing model nation-building service to the public. We don’t subscribe to the cynical opinion of cribber socialists and armchair critics that promoters, principals and managements of private schools that dominate the league tables, are solely — or substantially — driven by the profit motive. Numerous other options are available to capital-accumulation driven entrepreneurs and education professionals. Individuals who choose to promote and manage schools and education institutions are necessarily driven by high degree of idealism and nation-building objectives. It was national negligence that schools were not sufficiently assessed and achievements of their teachers and managements not celebrated until EducationWorld initiated its annual EWISR two decades ago. We are proud and unapologetic about this initiative. It has generated great enthusiasm — and friendly inter-school competition — countrywide. Only good can flow from it. Even though several pretender publications and organisations with less credibility and commitment towards “building the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda”, have also begun printing and publishing slap-dash plagiarised versions of the annual EWISR. As our cover depicts, eagles fly high above.

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