In the category of relatively progressive co-ed boarding schools, the reign of the Rishi Valley School, Chittoor, established by philosopher-savant J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986), shows no sign of ending. Here are India’s Best Co-ed Boarding Schools 2016-17

Its undoubtedly a sign of social progress that the number of co-ed boarding schools sufficiently well-known to be rated and ranked in the EW India School Rankings (EWISR) 2016 at 55, is more than the number of all-boys (28), and all-girls (18) boarding schools put together. Although single gender schools serve a useful purpose inasmuch as they enable children from conservative households to access high quality education in usually salubrious, conducive and safe environments, the causes of gender egalitarianism and inculcation of respect for girl children and women from an early age argue in favour of sexually segregated schools being gradually phased out.

In this ipso facto progressive category of boarding schools, the reign of the Rishi Valley School (RVS), Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh), established by the sagacious educationist J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986) in 1924 to enable children to learn joyously in a nature-friendly and ecologically sustainable environment – long before it became fashionable to do so – shows no sign of ending. The CISCE-affilated RVS has been ranked India’s premier co-ed boarding school on almost all parameters of education excellence for the past five of six years. The only time it was pipped at the post was in 2014 when the Sahyadri School, Pune, also inspired by the education ideals of Krishnamurti, was ranked #1, and that was probably because A.S. Shirali, principal of RVS for 15 years was appointed principal of Sahyadri that year. In EWISR 2016, Sahyadri School, Pune is ranked #6.

Perhaps inevitably for an institution that is invariably awarded highest rating under the parameter of life skills and conflict management, RVS principal Siddhartha Menon is reluctant to beat the schools drum. Nevertheless he deputed Dr. D. Anatha Jyothi, the schools vice principal, to react to the top rank awarded to RVS by EW sample respondents this year.

“We don’t believe rating and ranking of schools or students serves much purpose. In RVS, we regard the school as being a work in progress and believe schools can learn from continuous exchange of experiences. Therefore, while we respect the effort invested in publishing the annual EducationWorld India School Rankings, we would be happier if you provided a platform for diverse schools to meet together, share the experiences and challenges they face, and explore key issues in education. RVS is an old school and has grown in reputation due to the contribution of many individuals. J. Krishnamurti’s teachings have laid the foundation for the school, and they continue to inspire much of the work and learning that happens here”, says Jyothi. An English and linguistics alumna of IIT-Madras, Jyothi first signed up as a teacher at RVS in 1996, taught English in the UK for several years and rejoined RVS, which currently has 370 students mentored by 59 teachers, in 2007.

As last year, RVS is followed in the co-ed boarding schools league table by the Chinmaya International Residential School (CIRS), Coimbatore, indicating that the appeal of the so-called guruji schools which provide excellent academic education (RVS’ and CIRS’ actual academic averages in the ISC (class XII) school-leaving exams are among the highest countrywide) blended with co-curricular education steeped in indigenous traditions and culture, is growing within the country’s expanding middle class. Under the leadership of principal Shanti Krishnamurthy, CIRS has been consistently moving up the EW league tables from #9 in 2012 to #2 last year and in 2016.

However, even as new genre swamiji/guruji schools have been topping the co-ed boarding schools league tables in recent years, the popularity of legacy boarding schools modelled on British public schools which produced leaders who won the Battle of Waterloo and arguably the British empire, hasn’t waned. Particularly of new genre co-ed boarding schools with environment-friendly campuses, interactive IT-driven academic facilities and capital-intensive infrastructure. It is specially noteworthy that both the country’s #3 primary-secondaries – The Assam Valley School, Balipara (estb.1995) and Jain International Residential School, Bangalore (estb.1999) – offer vast 100 acres-plus campuses equipped with state-of-the art infrastructure and excellent sports facilities. In this years Top 10 co-ed boarding schools league table, eight institutions are of less than 20 years’ vintage with only the two Lawrence Schools of Sanawar and Lovedale established more than a century ago.

“I am delighted that the well-informed respondents of your survey have ranked AVS the #3 co-ed boarding school in India. I believe our willingness to embrace new initiatives in teaching/learning as well as our openness to parental feedback has enabled the rise of AVS in public estimation. Over the past two years we have upgraded our infrastructure including sports facilities and improved the residential accommodation. And next year, our co-curricular facilities will get a comprehensive facelift. All this is very important as I firmly believe sports and co-curricular education is the other side of the coin to education in our classrooms”, says Sonya Gandhi Mehta, an alumna of St. Xaviers College and SNDT (Mumbai), and San Diego (USA) universities who served in the Shri Ram School, Delhi and Indus International School, Bangalore (2004-13) prior to being appointed headmaster of AVS three years ago. Currently AVS has 832 students – including 322 girls – mentored by 96 teachers on its muster rolls.

Chenraj Roychand, promoter chairman of the Jain International School (JIRS) which sprawls over 350 green acres on the outskirts of Bangalore, and provides its students arguably the best sports infrastructure of any school countrywide, is satisfied, but not surprised by this CBSE-affiliated class IV-XII schools steady progress up the national (#3) and state (#1) co-ed boarding school’s league table. “In JIRS, we continuously strive for excellence because we believe there’s always room for improvement.

Leadership mentoring, preparing students for entrepreneurial initiatives, investing them with a global outlook through simulation workshops, and a rigorous sports curriculum are the factors behind the rising reputation of JIRS”, says Roychand who on the eve of the new millennium gave up a promising career as a self-employed businessman to promote the Bangalore-based Jain Group of educational institutions which include the Jain University and JIRS. Unsurprisingly, JIRS which hosts 750 students including 175 girls, is top-ranked in this category on the parameters of infrastructure, pastoral care and safety and hygiene.

Although newbie co-ed boarding schools with flashy new campuses are stealing their thunder, the vintage Lawrence School, Sanawar (estb. 1847) and Lawrence, Lovedale (1858) are still held in high esteem by the knowledgeable public. Both are ranked among the Top 5 at #4 and #5 in EWISR 2016. In particular, while Lawrence, Sanawar has yielded ground because of a recent change of principal with Vinay Pandey, formerly senior faculty at The Doon School, replacing Praveen Vashist, Lawrence, Lovedale has moved up from #8 to #5 under the energetic leadership of Sangita Chima former principal of the RKK Public School, Jodhpur, who took charge as principal in 2012.

“We are delighted that the initiatives we have taken during the past several years have been appreciated by the knowledgeable sample respondents polled by EW-C fore for this years survey. We have focused intensely on developing the cognitive capacity of students and teachers which has greatly impacted our school culture. Moreover, we have been successful in closely involving our alumni with Lawrence Lovedale’s growth and development. Over the past two years, our alumni have raised and contributed Rs.8 crore which has been deployed to improve and expand the infrastructure of this 158-year-old school”, says Chima, an alumna of Andhra University, IIT-Delhi and IIM-Ahmedabad who served with several top-ranked schools including Vasant Valley, Delhi and Mayo College, Girls.

Further down the Top 10 table, the Pinegrove School, Dharampur (#6), Kasiga, Dehradun (#8) and Miles Bronson, Guwahati (#9) have improved their rankings this year with the latter emerging as Assam’s second-ranked co-ed boarding school.

Beyond the Top 10, St. Thomas Residential, Thiruvananthapuram has been promoted to #11 (14 in 2015) and Kerala’s #1 co-ed boarding school, Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary, Prasantha Nilayam to #12 (13), The Punjab Public School, Nabha to #13 (16), Taurian World School, Ranchi to #15 (23) and Jharkhands #1, and the Himali Boarding School, Kurseong also to #15 (17) and West Bengals #1. And despite their low public profiles and off-the-beaten-track locations the capital-intensive Amber Valley Residential, Chikmagalur and Anubhuti, Jalgaon have made it into the Top 20.

“Its very encouraging that Kasiga which was ranked #33 among co-ed boarding schools in 2014 has been steadily rising in the public esteem to be ranked among the Top 10 for the past two years. The school has excellent infrastructure, dedicated teachers, excellent teacher training programmes and innovative curriculums and practices. Our admission-to-application ratio is 1:6. This school has a great future”, says Neeta Bali an English postgrad of Delhi University, former vice principal of the Apeejay School, Noida and headmistress of G.D. Goenka World School, Gurgaon (2006-14) who was appointed principal of Kasiga School last year.

Among other co-ed boarding schools which have risen in the estimation of the informed public are SelaQui International, Dehradun to #23 (25); Coorg Public School, Kodagu to #28 (33); The Blue Mountains, Ooty to #29 (34); The Sagar School, Alwar (30); Indian Public School, Dehradun to #32 (44); the previously unranked Father LeBlond, Darjeeling and Usha Martin World schools to #35 and #40 in the 55-strong league table of sufficiently recognised co-ed boarding schools countrywide.

Also read: India’s best girls boarding schools 2019-20