Within this increasingly popular category, Indus International School, Bangalore (estb. 2003) has been voted #1 for the fifth year in succession by a wide margin

Under the umbrella category of international schools (defined as primary-secondaries affiliated with reputable offshore examination boards), international day-cum-boarding schools – half-way houses between day and fully residential primary-secondaries – seem to have captured the public imagination. Sited on the outskirts of the country’s major metropolitan cities within commuting distances and providing full day, five-day and customised day-cum-residential options on immaculately landscaped campuses with IT-enabled classrooms and extensive co-curricular and sports facilities, they offer offspring of upwardly mobile households globally comparable education at a fraction of the price of private schools abroad.

Within this increasingly popular category, the Indus International School, Bangalore (IIS-B, estb. 2003) has emerged as a dominant institution. For the fifth year in succession, the well-informed EW-C fore sample respondents have voted the IBO (Geneva)-affiliated IIS-B India’s #1 international day-cum-boarding school by a wide margin with Pathways World School, Aravali ranked second for the fourth consecutive year. In this connection, its pertinent to note that the Indus International domination of this category is not limited to IIS-B. Two affiliated Indus International schools in Pune and Hyderabad, masterminded by IIS’ chief executive and master strategist Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Arjun Ray, AVSM, PVSM, are ranked among the Top 10 this year.

“Its great news that IIS-B has been voted #1 for a record five years in a very competitive category. I attribute our top ranking to a growing awareness within the parents and academic communities of our commitment to continuous innovation and educational excellence. From curriculum design to leadership training, teacher development and community service, IIS-B has developed excellent programmes even as our Indus Training and Research Institute continuously upskills the schools’ teachers. This has also prompted our one-of-its-kind Teacherpreneur initiative under which selected teachers are trained to institutionalise leadership and innovative teaching-learning best practices. Our top rating under the parameter of community service is especially satisfying because one of our prime objectives is to shape children into agents of change. Over the past year, we have initiated several community projects including vocational education to village women in our neighbourhood”, says Sarojini Rao, an economics and education postgraduate of Pune and Annamalai universities and principal of IIS-B since 2006.

On the Top 5 table, The International School, Bangalore (TISB) has been promoted to #3 over Indus International School, Pune (#4) — an exchange of the 2015 rankings — with the Genesis Global School, Noida ranked #5. Further down the Top 10 table, Singapore International, Mumbai is ranked #6 (5 last year) jointly with the low-profile Aga Khan Academy, Hyderabad (estb.2011) which has lost considerable ground this year.

A new entry into the Top 10 table is the Jaipur-based Jayshree Periwal International School, (JPIS) at #7 – misclassified as a co-ed day school in the 2015 rankings – followed by Stonehill International, Bangalore at #8 (7) and KiiT International School, Bhubaneswar which has retained its #9 position. Completing the Top 10 table are Indus International School, Hyderabad which has inched up to #9 (10) and the Fravashi International Academy, Nashik, ranked #10 (12).

“It’s a matter of pride for us in JPIS to be ranked among India’s Top 10 day-cum-boarding international schools. This ranking is public acknowledgement of our efforts to produce innovators and game changers of tomorrow. In JPIS, our focus is on concepts-based learning to develop lifelong learners who can adapt to any environment”, says Jayshree Periwal, the founder-director of JPIS and promoter of four pre-primaries and two K-12 schools in the pink city. With an enrolment of 1,800 students, JPIS is the desert states first primary-secondary affiliated with two globally reputed offshore examination boards – IBO, Geneva and CIE, UK.

Ratan Luth, founder-chairman of the Fravashi International Academy (FIA), Nashik (estb.2006), which has an enrolment of 1,200 students, including 100 boarders, is also satisfied with the schools steady ascent in the EW league tables. “Its gratifying that informed educators and parents are appreciative of our efforts to establish a genuinely international school in Nashik. I believe the primary factor behind FIS rising reputation is our commitment to providing balanced education that addresses the academic, social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs of students”, says Luth.

Set on a 40-acre campus contiguous to the scenic and unspoiled Gangapur dam in Nashik, the CIE, UK-affiliated FIA hosts 55 spacious IT-enabled classrooms, eight laboratories, two centrally air-conditioned separate cottage-style hostels for boys and girls, and a 1,200-seats dining hall supplemented with world-class sports infrastructure.

Among the other schools which have improved their ranking this year are the Canadian International School, Bangalore, ranked #12 (14), International School Aamby Pune #13 (15) and Saint MSG Glorious International School, Sirsa #15 (19).

Also read: India’s Best Co-ed Boarding Schools 2017-18