With 33 percent of its residents under the age of 30, Pune is the third largest provider of hi-tech jobs after Bangalore and Delhi. Therefore it’s experiencing a high demand surge for professionally administered early childhood care and education

With India’s Silicon Valley, Bangalore, reaching near saturation point in terms of road infrastructure and affordable office space, Pune is emerging as a preferred alternative for the still rising number of IT and biotech companies and start-ups pitching tent in India. The second largest city of Maharashtra, Pune (pop.6.2 million), with 33 percent of its residents under the age of 30 years, is the third largest provider of tech jobs after Bangalore and Delhi.

Therefore it’s hardly surprising that this ancient city of the Maratha Peshwas with a strong academic and cultural tradition, is experiencing a high demand surge for professionally rendered early childhood care and education (ECCE) from well-qualified new-age industry professionals aware of indispensable importance of ECCE for their infants. In the eighth EducationWorld India Preschool Rankings 2018-19, 15 sufficiently well-known proprietary and 10 franchised preschools of Pune have been rated and ranked by 511 parents with at least one child in preschool, and 65 ECCE teachers and principals.

Proprietary preschools

Promoted in 2014 by the Bangalore-based Indus Trust, which owns and manages invariably Top 10 ranked Indus International schools in Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad, Indus Early Learning Centre (IELC), Koregaon Park has retained its #1 rank of 2017-18 with highest scores awarded under seven of the ten parameters of ECCE excellence, including teacher competence and development, innovative teaching and infrastructure provision.

With minimal rearrangement of seating at the Top 5 table of Pune’s proprietary preschools this year, Primrose Nursery, Koregaon Park, ranked #2 and Global Montessori Plus, Chinchwad #3 have retained last year’s ranks and Indus Early Learning Centre (IELC), Bhosale Nagar has inched up to #3 (4 in 2017). Formerly a franchisee school of Kangaroo Kids, Rose Kids, Pimple Saudagar, has gone solo this year and is the sole debutant in the Top 5.

“We are thrilled to learn that IELC, Koregaon Park is ranked #1 in Pune for the second year in succession. I’m thankful to every member of our team who strives hard to maintain the high standards we set four years ago when we admitted our first batch of children. Our teachers have been constantly innovating and introducing new teaching-learning practices such as mindfulness, design thinking, and leadership development activities. That’s why your sample respondents have ranked us high for teacher competence and innovative teaching. I am also very pleased with our #1 ranking under the parameter of infrastructure provision because a welcoming child-friendly environment is the prerequisite of joyful learning,” says Rachna Gupta, an alumna of IGNOU, Delhi with a Cambridge International diploma in early childhood education and centre head of IELC, Koregaon Park. Currently, the school has an enrollment of 65 students and 12 teachers and 15 support staff.

While there’s minimal change in the Top 5, below the salt on the Top 10 table, there’s been substantial reordering of the seating arrangement. Sapling Nursery, Ram-Indu Park, Baner Road, ranked #6 (9 in 2017-18), Jumpstart Preschool, Karve Road, at #8 (11), Lexicon Kids, Viman Nagar #9 (10) and Podar Jumbo Kids, Wadgaon Sheri #10 (12) have all improved their rankings while Serra International Preschool, Aundh #7 and Orange Ivy Play School, Viman Nagar #8 have retained their last year’s rankings.

An alumna of Pune University and CEO of Jumpstart International preschools, Sneha Aditya Tapadia is delighted that its Karve Road centre has been promoted to Pune’s Top 10 table and its Aundh centre is ranked a respectable #13 (14). “This is wonderful news. Our improved ranks indicate that we are moving in the right direction, and Pune’s informed public is beginning to appreciate our efforts to enable our youngest children to learn and play in safe and nurturing environments. We also pride ourselves on our initiatives to accommodate special needs children who are provided well-trained shadow teachers to nurture them,” says Tapadia.

Franchised preschools

Even as the status quo has been substantially maintained in the EW Pune proprietary preschools league table of 2018-19, there’s a dramatic reordering of seating at the Top 10 table of the city’s most admired franchised pre-primaries. Podar Jumbo Kids, Baner Road ranked #3 last year is #1 followed by Little Millennium, Viman Nagar #2 (3 in 2017) and EuroKids, Kalyani Nagar #3 (2). Several attempts to contact PJK, Baner Road over e-mail and telephone for a reaction to their #1 ranking were met with a mysterious response. “Sorry, this year we’re not planning to apply (sic)”.

On the other hand, Shruti Mishra, principal of Little Millennium, Viman Nagar — a franchisee of the Delhi-based Little Millennium chain which has 500 licenced preschools countrywide — is delighted this pre-primary is steadily moving up the EW league table. “We are overwhelmed by our best-ever ranking and thank the public for this recognition. This is an indicator that informed parents and teachers of Pune appreciate our scientifically developed curriculum based on our Seven Petals pedagogy which ensures holistic development of every child through play activities and collaborative group work, as also our unique sports and dance programmes delivered by Recreation and Wellness for Parents and Children. I am also gratified that your respondents have ranked us #1 on the parameter of value for money as we believe in offering high-quality early years education at affordable price,” says Mishra. Currently, the preschool has an enrolment of 64 children and seven teachers (tuition fee: Rs.42,000-47,000 per annum).

Beyond the Top 3 in Pune’s franchisees league table, Podar Jumbo Kids Plus, Hinjewadi #4, and EuroKids, Ashok Nagar #5 have improved upon their 2017-18 rankings. The Top 9 table is completed by Euro Kids, Aundh #6 (8), Sesame Street Preschool, Wakkad #7 (10), EuroKids, Viman Nagar #8 (9) and EuroKids, Kondhwa #9 (unranked).
A franchisee of the Mumbai-based Podar Jumbo Kids chain which has 102 owned and franchised preschools countrywide, Podar Jumbo Kids Plus, Hinjewadi (PJKP, estb.2016) is top-ranked under the parameter of infrastructure provision. “As a two-year-old preschool, we are excited and proud to have made it to the Top 5 table.

This top table ranking for two years will drive us to improve our scores across all your ten parameters of early childhood education excellence. A substantial share for the quick public recognition we have received should be given to the meticulously prepared Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum provided by the Podar Jumbo Kids head office and designed by ECCE pioneer Dr. Swati Popat Vats,” says Jyoti Sachin Rokade, an alumna of Pune University and principal of PJKP, Hinjewadi which has an enrolment of 43 students mentored by 11 teachers.