From the moment you set eyes on your child, your life changes. Your children’s happiness is yours, and so are their sorrows. But by being in their hair all the time, also called helicopter parenting, are you unknowingly hampering their growth?
As they grow into their teens, children experience physical and emotional transitions, and if this is not channeled effectively either with tutors or tution centers, it could be a difficult time for them, but it can be made easy in top schools in India.
This is where residential schools or good hostel schools in India could help them reach their potential.
Why enroll in a top boarding school or residential school?
- Independence
Your child’s breakfast is on the table, a chauffeured car is at the door to take him to school, and his bed lies unmade. Is that the story of your morning? If so, top-boarding schools in India where students are expected to do things on their own would be a boon.
- Responsibility
Does your child lose stationery or books regularly in class and think nothing of it? A stint in a best school in India where no one except the child is responsible for her own things is sure to grind into her valuable lessons in responsibility.
- Confidence
Leaving the secure nest of home would be the hardest change of a child’s life but mixing with different kinds of people in top-rated boarding schools in India, participating in a wide variety of activities, learning discipline, and making lasting friends are valuable steppingstones to real life.
Interested in knowing more? Here are the top boarding schools in India.
1. Doon School, Dehradun:
Talk of residential schools in India, and Doon School comes to mind. Started in 1935, this all-boys school for ages 12–18 is known for its top-class teaching and commitment to all-round development and social service. It is one of the top 10 ICSE boarding schools in India.
Located in a cool and unpolluted environment, its 70-acre campus is a serene place to study. This school offers a choice of IB or ISC curriculum and has full-fledged facilities for sports including cricket, soccer, golf, athletics, boxing, tennis, shooting, and swimming. It also has an ‘Art and Media School’ and a wellness center. Noted alumni include the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, author Amitav Ghosh, and Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, which makes Doon one of the top-rated boarding schools in India.
Website: https://www.doonschool.com/
2. Bishop Cotton School, Shimla:
Founded in 1859, this is one of the oldest and best schools in India, with a rich history of educating some of the brightest minds in the country. The motto of the school is ‘Overcome evil with good’. It has a 56-acre campus for students from class three onwards and follows the ICSE and ISC examination boards.
The school encourages sports and has facilities to teach football, cricket, squash, tennis, air rifle shooting, and gymnastics, among others. It also offers cultural activities like music, dance, and drama; has hobby clubs for aero-modeling, photography, and stamps; and promotes social service. Noted alumni include author Ruskin Bond and golfer Jeev Milkha Singh.
Website: https://bishopcottonshimla.com
3. Mayo College, Ajmer:
The Mayo College was established in 1875 with the intention of making it the ‘Eton’ of India. It starts in the fourth grade and is affiliated with CBSE. It has a teacher-student ratio of 1:10 and places emphasis on both academics and sports, making it one of the top schools in India.
At its 200-acre campus, the school is equipped with world-class facilities to play sports like cricket, tennis, golf, swimming, and archery. It is also well known for its equestrian sports and polo. Noted alumni include the Maharana of Udaipur, journalist Vir Sanghvi, and author Vikram Chandra, all together with the option of residential schools in India.
Website: https://mayocollege.com
4. Rishi Valley, Chittoor:
This is a unique co-ed residential school in India that has been founded on the philosophy of J. Krishnamurty. The junior and middle schools, from grades four to eight, do not have examinations. The senior school, from grades nine to twelve, is affiliated with the ICSE and ISC boards.
There is an emphasis on art here, and students are encouraged to sing, paint, sculpt, do embroidery, and do woodwork. Being close to nature is an integral part of studying here. The school is renowned for the Institute for Bird Studies and Natural History that is housed on its campus. Noted alumni include dancer Oopali Operajita and politician Varun Gandhi. Rishi Valley is one of the best residential schools in India.
Website: https://www.rishivalley.org
5. Welham Girl’s School, Dehradun:
This sister organization of the Doon School is regarded as one of the top-rated boarding schools in India for girls. Started in 1957, this school is built on a beautiful 42-acre campus and can house 600 students. The school hosts competitive events in sports and the arts among its five houses throughout the year.
Some of the activities include crafts, dramatics, Kathak, sitar, photography, and sports like basketball, hockey, swimming, badminton, tennis, karate, and aerobics. The school’s basketball team is well known for winning several state and national-level tournaments. Notable alumni include politician Brinda Karat, politician Priyanka Gandhi, and actress Kareena Kapoor.
Website: https://www.welhamgirls.com
6. Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun:
On the foothills of the Shivalik ranges lies this stunning 138-acre campus, whose hallowed portals have produced many distinguished servicemen. Affiliated with the Director General of Military Training, the school offers high-quality academic and personality development to boys between the ages of 11 and half and 18.
With an intake of 250, this is a feeder school to the prestigious National Defense Academy and the NAVAC Academy and has a teacher-student ratio of 1:12.5. The school has playfields, courts, swimming pools, and other sports facilities, which make this college on the list of the best schools in India. Noted alumni include Gen. KS Thimayya, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, and Gen. GG Bewoor.
Website: https://rimc.gov.in/index.html
7. Sherwood College, Nainital:
Set up in 1869 by the British to educate their children, Sherwood College is a well-established co-ed residential school in India in the pristine hills of Nainital. It is affiliated with CISCE and is open to boys from grades 3 to 12. The sprawling campus is situated on the Ayarpata hill, bordering the Nainital lake.
Sherwood has good soccer and cricket teams and offers other sports like swimming, tennis, basketball, and badminton. It also has an impressive art department, dramatics, and literary societies. Noted alumni include Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, actor Amitabh Bachchan, and major Somnath Sharma.
Website: https://www.sherwood.edu.in/
8. Lawrence School, Lovedale (Ootacamund):
Located at a height of 7200 feet above sea level, this beautiful 750-acre campus built during the 1800s by the British continues to be one of the best boarding schools in India. This is a co-ed CBSE and ICSE residential school in India affiliated with functions under the aegis of the HRD ministry.
The school campus is divided into prep school (classes four to six), junior school (classes seven and eight), and senior school (classes nine to 12). It places emphasis on all-round development and is well equipped with sports facilities. Noted alumni include businessman Anand Mahindra and authors Arundhati Roy and Amish Tripathi.
Website: https://www.thelawrenceschool.org
9. Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Gwalior:
This school was the dream of the late Rajmata of Gwalior, Srimant Vijaya Raje Scindia, who wanted to start a school for girls to equip them with a worldview.
Built over a 35-acre campus, this schoolhouse has around 500 students and a teacher-student ratio of 1:10. It has well-equipped laboratories for physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, and home science. The school also encourages sports like cricket, volleyball, basketball, taekwondo, and tennis. Notable alumni include politicians Yashodhara Raje Scindia and Dr. Neeta Bhandari.
Website: https://www.skvgwalior.org/home
10. The Assam Valley School, Balipara:
Considered the finest residential school in northeast India, the Assam Valley School was established in 1995. It boasts a sprawling, lush green campus and is affiliated with the ICSE school board. It is a co-ed school from grade 5 onwards, with nine boarding houses in all.
It has a popular reading student program to encourage reading habits among its students. It also has an in-house adventure camp, a craft design and technology center, a dance school, an Indian music school, and a social service initiative, among others.
Website: https://assamvalleyschool.com
Since it offers a whole range of academic and extracurricular facilities for a child, the fee structure in residential schools is significantly higher than in day schools. Also, getting admission may be a task in itself, as applications are received from across the country. But if it is affordable, a stint at the best school in India gives a child a holistic view of the world while encouraging them to explore their inner talents in a way no standard school can.