Hindustan Times - C fore Top Schools Survey
2012
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
A guide for
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f a road takes too many turns, the best of us get lost. Welcome to Hindustan Times’e-book on Top School Survey 2012, the most credible reference guide on schools. This annual survey, our fourth, done in collaboration with the research agency C fore, is an extensively researched educational product brought out every year that is conducted for Delhi and the National Capital Region with the objective of helping parents negotiate the maze-like, and somewhat confounding, process of choosing, applying and attempting to get their wards admitted to schools in the area. The reports that accompany the Top Ten rankings are published in Hindustan Times. But what is exclusive to the e-book is the ranking of schools vis -vis each of the 14 parameters that we grade schools on. For the first time, we have provided an overall ranking for the region -- one that encompasses schools in all of the Delhi-NCR area: the six zones in Delhi and the adjoining cities of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida. Our Top Schools Survey has also focussed on various issues that affect our schools in the region, be it the new Right to Education law, the plight of government schools or the increasing threat of cyber bullying in schools. That apart, our methodology, modified by our experience of four years, has been further sharpened to give you the best results. Of course, choosing a school for a child is ultimately the decision of parents and guardians and depends on a host of factors. Our aim in this endeavour is to provide you with well-researched qualitative as well as quantitative insights to make that task a bit easier. In case you’ve missed the ongoing survey in Hindustan Times, log on to access the information on the e-book. And, as always, we would encourage you to let us know what you think of it. Your suggestions will help make our annual exercise more meaningful.
r young parents
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
OLD SCHOOLS, BUT NOT OLD-SCHOOL Zehra Kazmi ■ zehra.kazmi@hindustantimes.com
Home to some of the city’s oldest schools and the sprawling campus of Delhi University, north Delhi’s credentials as an educational hub have been firmly established. Residents can glibly recite names of the old schools that dotted the north Delhi landscape: J D Tytler, Queen Mary’s, St. Xavier’s, Rukmini Devi Jaipuria etc. With colonies such as Rohini, Pitampura and Pushpanjali Enclave coming up in the 1980’s, the landscape has changed. Metro connectivity, malls and multiplexes co-exist with narrow roads and bustling marketplaces. Some of the older schools here have become out of step with the times and schools catering to the newer colonies dominate the education scene today. This is mirrored in the results of the 2012 Hindustan Times-C fore Top Schools Survey. One of the most respected names in the area, Bal Bharti Public School, Pitampura finishes first, with Montfort School, Ashok Vihar nipping at its heels. While the former tops the ‘teacher care and development’, ‘academic rigour’ and ‘infrastructure and facilities’ parameters, the latter cements its position in the ‘sports’, ‘social accountability’ and ‘value for money’ categories. “We place a lot of emphasis on sports and games. We provide coaching for many sports, from basketball to skating and karate. Classes are held in the evenings as well,” said Philip Thadathil, vice-principal, Montfort School. Tied at the third spot are Apeejay School, with the highest scores on the ‘academic rigour’ and ‘life skills education’ parameters and Delhi Public School, Rohini which stands second in the ‘individual attention to students’ and ‘value for money’ categories. The biggest winner, however, is the Heritage School, Rohini which makes its debut in the top ten at number 6 with the highest scores
in the ‘individual attention to students’ and ‘innovative teaching’ categories. VALUES AND VALUE FOR MONEY North Delhi schools cater to a largely middleclass population whose aspirations for their children rest on their education. Hence, academics occupy centre-stage. But value education plays an important supporting role as well. “Our school is known for its traditional values and Indian culture combined with a modern, global outlook. Students recite the shabad and perform classical dances and moralistic stories are a part of classroom teaching,” said Col. (retd) Ashok Kaul, principal, Mata Jai Kaur Public School. In this task of instilling good values and habits, schools rely on parents as equal partners. “Family culture is important. For example, we can ban junk food, but outside the school premises, everything is available. Schools can check, prevent, advise, give information, but the implementation depends on parents,” said Thadathil. Parents, too, are looking for schools which can walk the tightrope between tradition and modernity. IT-enabled classrooms, foreign languages and exchange programmes along with social accountability are on their wishlist, albeit at affordable prices. With Montfort scoring the highest in the ‘value for money’ parameter, Thadathil refutes the idea of luxury schools. “We are a missionary school, we believe in frugal living, we don’t subscribe to this idea of luxury schools or charging a high fee,” he says. This idea finds an echo in students as well. Says Arshdeep Kaur, a class 12th student at Mata Jai Kaur, “My school has taught me the essential values and communication skills. I am confident I will do well in life, doing something I am passionate about, even if it pays less.”
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top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
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TOP SCHOOLS OF NORTH DELHI
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The 2012 Hindustan Times-C fore Top Schools Survey gave scores to each school across 14 parameters, from academic rigour to sports. Here’s a list of schools ranked in the Top Ten in North Delhi
BAL BHARTI PUBLIC SCHOOL, PITAMPURA
The school offers horse riding, cricket fields, football and basketball and two swimming pools. It has also started exchange programmes with schools in the US, UK and Mexico etc. The school has topped in 6 categories, including ‘academic rigour’, ‘infrastructure and facilities’ and ‘extra-curricular activities’. www.Balbharatipp.org
011-27028600
R54,780 per annum
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MONTFORT SCHOOL
The school has a system of hobby clubs, including Nature club, Science club, Language club etc which help students develop their skills. The active counseling and career guidance cell organises workshops and seminars. Montfort has the best ‘value for money’, ‘sports’ and ‘social accountability’ scores. www.montfortschooldelhi.in
011-27130841
R 32,685 per annum
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
3
APEEJAY SCHOOL, PITAMPURA
Apeejay School lays emphasis on computer-aided learning with specially designed packages and classrooms fitted with LCDs. The school also has a well-equipped Robotics Lab. It is tied for the best ‘academic rigour’ score, and has topped ‘life skills education’ and ‘value system/integration’. www.apeejay.edu
011-27022140
R51,870 per annum
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DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, ROHINI
The school has tied-up with many NGOs to inculcate a sense of community service in students. Exchange programmes and trips, including one to NASA, are regularly organised. Tied at the third spot, DPS has the second highest ‘value for money’, ‘safety and hygiene’ and ‘individual attention to students’ scores. www.dpsrohini.com
011-27055942
R56,580 per annum
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
5
MATA JAI KAUR PUBLIC SCHOOL
The school has a multi-media centre and smart classes, with 3D and 2D modules. Resident doctors keep a check on students’ dental and physical health. The school band makes life interesting. Mata Jai Kaur has the second highest ‘social accountability’ score and has done well on the ‘value for money’ parameter as well. www.mjkpsdelhi.com
011-27244590
R38,916 per annum
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THE HERITAGE SCHOOL, ROHINI
Along with subject labs, the school has special design labs for carpentry, pottery, handicrafts and multimedia and graphics. Wi-fi and boradband facilties are also available. The school has topped the ‘individual attention to students’, ‘life skills education’, ‘innovative teaching’ and ‘value system/integration’ categories. www.theheritageschool.in/rohini
011-27062800
R34,830 per annum
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
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BAL BHARATI PUBLIC SCHOOL, ROHINI
The school has two swimming pools, basketball and badminton courts and provides coaching for taekwondo, gymnastics, skating etc. All classes are fitted with interactive smartboards. The school has done well on the ‘The schools does well on the ‘innovative teaching’ and ‘extra-curricular activities’ parameters. www.bbps.org
011-27554561
R43,240 per annum
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RYAN INTERNATIONAL, ROHINI
Tied at the No.7 spot, the school offers a well-organised library, football and cricket fields, a skating rink and swimming pool. The school band is trained to play various instruments uncluding bagpipes and flutes. It has the second highest ‘safety and hygiene’ score and does well on the ‘individual attention to students’ parameter. www.ryanrohini.co.in
011-27932770
R53,575 per annum
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
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DAV PUBLIC SCHOOL, PUSHPANJALI ENCLAVE
Activities as varied as dance, art, sports, robottics and food planning are on offer. The school is international in its outlook and has tied up with various international programmes and institutions. It has the third highest ‘individual attention to students’ score and does well on the ‘innovative teaching’ and ‘safety and hygiene’ categories. www.davpushpanjali.com
011-27018261
R 45,000 per annum
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10 KULACHI HANSRAJ MODEL SCHOOL
Started in 1972, the school has a day care centre for primary students and interesting activities organised by various clubs, such as the eco club, rotary club or the UN club etc. The school runs Manovikas Kendra for special needs children. It has respectable scores in the ‘social accountability’ and ‘sports’ categories. www.khms.ac.in
011-27143364
Not Available
top schools HINDUSTAN TIMES-C FORE SURVEY 2012
THEY TOO MAKE THE GRADE... DARBARI LAL DAV MODEL SCHOOL The Shalimar Bagh branch has up-to-date laboratories for most subjects, including geography, multimedia and mechanical drawing. A paper-recycling unit and a yagyashala are also part of the schhol premises. Full-time cricket, skating and tennis academies impart specialized coaching in these fields.
DARBARI LAL DAV MODEL SCHOOL The Pitampura branch has a centrally air-conditioned building, a recording studio, tennis court, a TV/computer in every classroom and truly modern Language Labs. Foreign exchange programmes are on the anvil as well.
NK BAGRODIA SCHOOL, ROHINI The school pays attention to sports activities, providing students with four badminton courts, a football field, yoga and gymnastics halls etc. Activities such as meal-planning, Green Olympiad and radio shows are organised while a multi-purpose hall provides a platform to showcase students’ talents.
With each school having different strengths, parents have many more names to choose from. Here are some other good options
THE SRIJAN SCHOOL While the class rooms and work areas at the school are fully air-conditioned, computer-aided audio-visual facilities make learning fun. The school provides space for outdoor sports and activities such as cricket, hockey and skating as well as indoor ones like table tennis and yoga.
RUKMINI DEVI PUBLIC SCHOOL Situated in Pitampura, the school organises multi-cultural activities as well as exchange programmes for both students and teachers. The science park, with its many gadgets on display as well as Language and Robotics labs give a break from classroom teaching.
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5 3 1 4 7 1 6 9 8 9
6 4 9 2 8 1 6 2 4 10
4 1 3 8 2 10 7 8 6 5
1 3 4 2 6 4 7 9 8 10
Value for Money
5 3 1 4 6 1 7 9 8 10
Infrastructure and Facilities
2 3 6 4 6 1 6 8 5 10
Parental participation
5 7 10 2 7 1 4 5 3 9
Social Accountability
2 1 3 4 8 10 7 6 9 5
Safety and Hygiene
1 3 2 4 5 10 6 8 9 7
Life Skills Education
1 4 1 3 5 8 6 7 9 10
Value System/ Integration
Individual Attention to Students
1 2 4 3 6 7 9 10 8 4
Innovative Teaching
Sports
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ECA
Bal Bharti, Pitampura Montfort School Apeejay School, Pitampura Delhi Public School, Rohini Mata Jai Kaur Public School The Heritage School, Rohini Bal Bharati, Rohini Ryan International, Rohini D A V Public, Pushpanjali Kulachi Hansraj Model School
Academic Rigour
1 2 3 3 5 6 7 8 9 10
Teacher Care and Development
NAME OF SCHOOL
Competence of Teachers
RANK
PARAMETER WISE RANKING OF NORTH DELHI SCHOOLS
1 2 3 5 8 6 9 3 10 6
2 1 4 2 5 10 8 9 6 7
Nursery fee figures, provided to HT by the schools, are approximate. They include annual fee and development charges (transport fee is variable). For the total fee amount, please contact the schools. * These schools did not participate in the survey. Their scores are based on the perceptual survey conducted among parents and teachers as mentioned in the methodology. DISCLAIMER :The survey data is a copyright of HT Media Limited, any use of this survey data would lead to infringement of their copyright and may result in legal action against the Infringer.
METHODOLOGY The survey was conducted in three phases. In phase-1, schools were invited to provide information on academic and non-academic facilities, performance of students and profile of teachers. Broadly, Central Delhi is represented by the area falling within the Inner Ring Road. South-East Delhi is separated from South-West Delhi by Aurobindo Marg. Then, research agency C fore shortlisted schools for the second round, in which a perceptual survey was carried out with a sample of 3,000 parents and teachers across the city's six zones. They were asked to assess schools they were aware of on a scale of 10 against 14 parameters. Results of the perceptual survey were combined with objective data from the first round to rank schools. In phase-3, C fore researchers visited the schools to conduct an audit and finalise rankings. Perceptual data scores were extrapolated for schools that did not participate.