The EducationWorld India Budget Private School Special Merit Awards 2020 have been introduced to acknowledge and celebrate low-profile budget private schools (BPS) that have implemented contemporary best practises in K-12 education. There are an estimated 400,000 BPS nationwide. In the inaugural EW India Budget Private School Rankings 2020, we were able to rank only the Top 300 because BPS tend to be very low-profile, parochial institutions rarely known beyond their neighbourhoods. Under the Delhi-based Centre for Forecasting & Research’s survey methodology schools ranked by less than 25 respondents were not included in the league tables of the EW India Budget Private School Rankings 2020 published last month (February).

Therefore on the recommendation of the National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA), which has a membership of 60,000 BPS countrywide and well-known educationists Kirit Mehta of The Educator Development Academy, Mumbai and Raipur-based Dhirendra Mishra, founder of Life Educare Consultants, we have specially instituted these awards to acknowledge less known budget private schools which are excelling under parameters other than the 11 under which schools were rated and ranked in the main BPS league tables. These parameters are: innovation in academics, outstanding leadership, reading culture, emerging high-potential schools and ecology and environment awareness.

Innovation in academics

Budget private/ affordable schools that have introduced and encourage innovation in curriculum design and pedagogies to boost student learning outcomes are awarded (not ranked) in this category.

UniqYOU International School, Idar (Gujarat)
Ravindra Vidyalayam, Kurnool
Vignan Bharath EM High School, Poranki, Vijayawada
Nilkanth International School, Ahmedabad
Sarvajanik Primary School (English Medium), Gandhinagar
Chaitanya EM High School, Tirupathi
Good Shepherd EM School, Nandyal (Andhra Pradesh)
Oxford The Global School, Nanded
Oxford High School, Khammam
Sri Bhavishyaa Montessori, Hyderabad
Shri Nethaji (MSR) Pilot High School, Kurnool
Shri Oswal Senior Secondary School, Churu (Rajasthan)
The Oikos International School, Aurangabad
Little Angels Public School, Gudur
Spring Meadows Public School, Dwarka, Delhi
Omkar English Medium School, Dombivili, Mumbai
Samskaar English High School, Bhimavaram
Eicher School, Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh
OPS Vidya Mandir, Ambala

Ecology and environment awareness

Budget Private School Special Merit Awards 2020 for BPS which encourage children to engage in environment conservation campaigns and projects and promote sustainable education.
Aga Khan School, Chitravad (Gujarat)
Rosedale School, Delhi
Genico Nursery and Primary School, Chennai
D.M. Bhatia Eng. Primary School, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
Shree K.B. Desai Arbuda Secondary School, Idar
Vidya Bharti Public School, Sikar (Rajasthan)
Indian Stars Grammar High School, Hyderabad
Sri Nagarjuna EM High School, Maddipadu (Andhra Pradesh)
DIC Preprimary School & Primary School, Nidhadi, Pune
Matru Vidyalaya, Pune
St. Agrasen High School & Jr. College, Kalva (E), Thane
St. Francis English High School, Malad (E), Mumbai

Reading culture

Budget Private School Special Merit Awards 2020 for BPS which actively promote books culture and love of reading are listed in this category.

Vardhman Convent Higher Secondary School, Nagda (Madhya Pradesh)
Smt. Shantaben Haribhai Gajera Shaikshanik Sankul, Amreli (Gujarat)
The Adhyayana International Public School, Coimbatore
Spandana Model School, Godavari Dist. (A.P)
Shri Jamnadas Adukia English School, Kandivali (W), Mumbai
The Sharon School, Warangal (A.P)

Emerging high-potential schools

These awards are for newly promoted budget private schools that have demonstrated potential to quickly adopt and integrate best K-12 education practices.

Little Angels Public School, Gudur, Nellore (A.P)
St. Ann’s EM School, Tadepalligudem, West Godavari (A.P)
Sri Shantinikethan EM High School, Kadapa (A.P)
Blooming Buds Primary School, Calangute, Goa
Shri Hanuman Bux Gograj Bagaria Senior Secondary Public School, Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan)
Scholar’s English High School, Bhiwandi (Maharashtra)
Jaycees Public School, Rudrapur (Uttarakhand)
Rishi Public School, Rewari (Haryana)
Aga Khan School, Sidhpur (Gujarat)
Little Angel Sr Sec School, Sonepat
Prestige Public School, Pune
Bharteeya Vidya Niketan Senior Secondary School, Amritsar (Punjab)
Guru Nanak English High School, Vikhroli (W), Mumbai
BDM Public School, Saharanpur (U.P)

Outstanding leadership

Low-profile and newly emergent budget private schools with extraordinary leaders.

Gandhinagar International Public School,
Demai, Aravalli (Gujarat)
Ramakrishna High School, Visakhapatnam
Sai Baba Edn Institutions, Kadapa (A.P)
Jeevani Foundation, Anantapur (A.P)
Jhunjhunu International School (Rajasthan)
Ambala Public Sr Sec School, Haryana
Fellowship School, Gowalia Tank, Tardeo, Mumbai
Padmavani EM High School, Tadipatri, Anantapur
Saraswati Gyan Mandir, Bharthana, Etawah (U.P)
Shree K.B. Desai Arbuda Primary School, Idar, Gujarat

Also read: Inaugural EducationWorld India Budget Private School Rankings 2020 Awards