The EducationWorld India School Rankings league tables assess schools across 14 parameters of education excellence. Respondents fatigue and constraints of printing space compel us to restrict the league tables to 14 parameters. However, there are several other parameters and best practices in which some schools excel. To recognise and celebrate schools which excel in these additional parameters, last year we introduced the EducationWorld Grand Jury Awards and a specially constituted jury of knowledgeable educationists to recommend conferment of awards upon newly-emergent or low-profile schools implementing globally accepted best practices. 

Likewise this year, to shortlist and select low-profile and/or newly-emergent progressive schools countrywide for the EW Grand Jury Awards 2017-18, we invited nominations from educationists, individuals and schools themselves supported by evidence of best practices in 11 categories such as Green Schools, STEAM Education Excellence, New Technologies Usage, Campus Architecture and Design and Communications Excellence, among others.

Evidence-supported nominations were received from 750 schools countrywide. To assess the evidence and rank nominated schools in each category, a Grand Jury comprising eminent educationists including Dr. Shayama Chona (Tamana, School of Hope, Delhi), Jerry Almeida (founder, iCONGO and social entrepreneur), Fatema Agarkar (co-founder of KA EduAssociates), Pritam Benjamin (well-known education consultant) and Sumer Singh (former principal of Daly College, Indore) was constituted. The Grand Jury duly assessed the nominations and ranked the Top 10 schools in each category. Of them, the Top 5 were conferred awards at the EW India School Rankings Awards 2017-18 function on September 22. The complete Top 10 EW Grand Jury Rankings 2017-18 are published in the pages following.

Green schools
Schools were judged on environment-friendly campuses and environmentally responsible and resource-efficient processes and sustainability practices.

1. The Shriram Millennium School, Noida
2. Sanskriti The Gurukul, Guwahati
3. N.H. Goel World School, Raipur
4. The Chintels School, Kalyanpur, Kanpur
5. St. Xavier’s English High School & Jr. College, Thane
6. Canadian International School, Bangalore
7. Maharishi International Residential, Kanchipuram
8. KiiT International School, Bhubaneswar
9. B.K. Birla Centre for Education, Pune
10. City Pride School, Pune

STEAM education excellence

These awards are for schools delivering innovative science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education through experiential pedagogies.

1. Lotus Valley International School, Noida
2. Venkateshwar International School, Sector 10, Dwarka
3. Wisdom High School, Nasik
4. Redbridge International Academy, Bangalore
5. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya, Borivali (W), Mumbai
6. Alpha School (CBSE), Porur, Chennai
7. Delhi Public School, Gwalior
8. Samashti International School, Hyderabad
9. Bal Bharati Public School, Ghaziabad
10. Billabong High International, Santacruz, Mumbai

Community outreach

Schools were assessed for encouraging student-led community service projects, either in school-sponsored, regional or international community projects.

1. Sunbeam Lahartara, Varanasi
2. Anand Niketan, Shilaj, Ahmedabad
3. L K Singhania Centre for Education, Gotan, Rajasthan
4. G D Goenka School, Kanpur
5. Kaligi Ranganathan Montford Matriculation Hr. Sec. School, Perambur, Chennai
6. Pawar Public School, Bhandup, Mumbai
7. Legacy School, Bangalore
8. Kothari International School, Noida
9. DCM Presidency School, Ludhiana
10. Johnson Grammar School, Hyderabad

Multi-sports culture

The Top 10 schools which encourage and provide facilities and training in several sports and games:

1. The Emerald Heights International School, Indore
2. St. Stanislaus High School, Bandra, Mumbai
3. Children’s Academy, Malad, Mumbai
4. Gaurs International School, Noida
5. Billabong High International School, Noida
6. GVHSS for Girls, Nadakkavu, Kozhikode
7. Gyanshree School, Sector 127, Noida
8. Sunbeam School, Varuna, Varanasi
9. GD Goenka Public School, Lucknow
10. Manav Kendra Gyan Mandir School, Vadodara

Innovative teaching

The 21st century requires innovative teaching in the country’s classrooms. Several schools have demonstrated extraordinary capability to break away from rote learning, and introduce experiential education. The Top 10:

1. The Shriram Millennium School, Noida
2. Ascend International School, Mumbai
3. The Ardee World School, Gurgaon
4. Redbricks School, Ahmedabad
5. Shalom Hills International School, Gurgaon
6. La Martiniere Girls’ College, Lucknow
7. Billabong High International, Santacruz, Mumbai
8. Khaitan Public School, Sahibabad (UP)
9. Educon International School, Pune
10. Veer Bhagat Singh International, Malad (W), Mumbai

New technologies usage

The Top 10 schools which integrate cutting-edge technology into curriculum delivery and teaching-learning:

1. Fazlani L’Academie Globale, Mumbai
2. R.N. Podar School (CBSE), Santacruz, Mumbai
3. Birla Public School Vidyaniketan, Pilani
4. Universal School, Thane
5. The Green Acres Academy, Chembur, Mumbai
6. Legacy School, Bangalore
7. Oakridge International School, Einstein Campus, 
Hyderabad
8. Hindustan International School, Padur, Chennai
9. Ajanta Public School, Haryana
10. Nehru World School, Ghaziabad

Emerging high-potential schools

These are low-profile or newly promoted schools that have demonstrated high potential to quickly adopt and integrate 21st century education best practices.

1. GEMS International School, Gurgaon
2. G.D.Goenka Public School, Lucknow
3. Witty International School, Mumbai
4. SRM School, Chennai
5. Tejas International Residential School, Bagalkot
6. Little Kingdom Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur
7. Dass & Brown World School, Ferozepur
8. Billabong High International School, Vadodara
9. MPS International School, Jaipur
10. LPS Global School, Noida

Extraordinary leadership

These rankings acknowledge extraordinary education leaders from among low-profile and newly emergent schools.

1. Miles Bronson Residential School, Guwahati
2. Army Public School, Delhi Cantt
3. Bombay Cambridge School, Andheri (East), Mumbai
4. Sanjay Ghodawat International School, Kolhapur
5. N.L. Dalmia High School, Thane
6. NES International School, Mulund, Mumbai
7. Chellammal Vidyalaya, Thiruverumbur
8. Bodhi International School, Jodhpur
9. St. Augustine’s Day School, Kolkata
10. Podar International School, CBSE, Pune

Library and reading culture

Schools which provide contemporary library facilities and actively promote a good reading culture were awarded in this category.

1. Inventure Academy, Bangalore
2. JBCN International School, Borivali, Mumbai
3. CP Goenka International School, Mumbai
4. ASN Sr. Secondary School, Delhi
5. Dalimss Sunbeam, Varanasi
6. Unison World School, Dehradun
7. Oakridge International, Hyderabad (Gachibowli campus)
8. Hiranandani Foundation School, Powai, Mumbai
9. Ahlcon International School, Delhi
10. Seth M.R.Jaipuria School, Gomtinagar, Lucknow

Campus architecture & design

Schools with attractive and conducive campuses which enable children to learn joyfully and give of their best were ranked in this category.

1. Nahar International School Mumbai
2. The Sanskaar Valley School, Bhopal
3. Candor International School, Bangalore
4. Paul George Global School, Alaknanda, New Delhi
5. SCJ World Academy, Gurgaon
6. Ascend International School, Mumbai
7. The Geekay World School, Ranipet
8. Gaurs International School, Noida
9. La Martiniere Girls’ College, Lucknow
10. The Espee Global School, Roorkee

Career counselling leaders

Several progressive schools provide professional career counseling that helps students to evaluate suitable university programmes based on their interests and aptitudes.

1. Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur
2. La Martiniere Girls’ College, Lucknow
2. Indus International School, Hyderabad
3. Amity International School, Gurgaon
4. Global Indian International School, Pune
5. Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad
6. Billabong High International School, Vadodara
7. Army Public School, Gwalior
8. APS Bolarum, Secunderabad, Hyderabad
9. KiiT International School, Bhubaneswar
10. DPS, Napur