INDIA'S TOP SCHOOLS

Choosing the right school is probably one of the dilemmas faced by a parent. After all, a good education is the best investment you can make for your child. But with the concept of education today shifting from the overall development of the child to a mere means of securing a 'good job', it has now become an even bigger dilemma.

While state-run schools, or Public schools, as they are called, are considered the best in the West, here in India, it is the reverse. Today, education in context to wisdom and values is outdated. Most parents look for an upscale public school to educate their children in the hope that they would make it to reputed medical/engineering colleges.

There are an estimated 5,000 good schools in India with decent infrastructure and student faculty ratio of at the most 20:1. They are affiliated to either one of the boards, the CBSE or the ICSE.

Although ICSE is rated better than CBSE, since all competitive exams are based on the CBSE syllabus, most parents opt for CBSE schools. Says Francis Fanthome, Chief Executive & Secretary of the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) which conducts the ICSE in over 1000 countrywide, "The system of selection has made education irrelevant. The government boards' curricula focus mostly on narrow cognitive capabilities. Rote learning is encouraged and students aren't taught to think, question or analyse."

As reported in the Outlook, a survey was conducted by the Centre for Forecasting and Research in six metros and Chandigarh. 632 teachers were asked to evaluate the top 15 schools in each city on a 10-point scale. The parameters used were competence of the faculty, attention to studies, individual attention to students, sports, extra-curricular activities, teaching moral and social values and infrastructure and facilities. These are the results.

KOLKATA'S TOP SCHOOLS

St Xavier's Collegiate School, Kolkata
At St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata, all-round excellence is a way of life. That’s what makes this school the mighty institution that it is today. . Founded in 1860 by a band of Jesuit fathers, the buildings are old-style Edwardian—spacious, with well-swept lawns, corridors and offices. The school (up to Class 12) boasts a strength of around 2,000 and has 40-45 students per class.

Charity is an adjunct to the activities of this school. The authorities run a subsidiary school for the less privileged children, providing two meals a week. Senior students undertake a major responsibility here. At fests and socials, students are encouraged to donate—anything from a piece of soap to newspaper, which are sent en bloc to charity. The school also has a scholarship system for the needy which aspirants can apply to in strictest confidence.

Men who’ve been here before? Two chief ministers—Jyoti Basu and Siddhartha Shankar Ray, former army chief Shankar Roy Choudhury and India’s cricket captain, Saurav Ganguly.

Source: Outlook