Thanks for including Blue Bells Group of Schools, Gur-gaon in the EducationWorld-C fore Survey of Schools 2011 (EW September). Our Blue Bells Public School, Sector 4, Gurgaon — ranked No.122 in the all-India day schools league table and No.77 in the North Zone league table — is actually named Blue Bells Model School, Sector 4, Gurgaon. The Blue Bells Public School is in Sector 10, Gurgaon.
Blue Bells Model School, Sector 4 is a 31-year-old school whereas Blue Bells Public School, Sector 10 was started in 2003. For your information, Blue Bells Model School, Sector 4 has consistently been ranked among the Top 10 schools in Gurgaon in the annual Hindustan Times-C fore surveys. Even if we assume the ranking is given to Blue Bells Model School, Sector 4, Gurgaon, we notice that our school in Sector 10 has not been ranked at all.
Additionally, we wish to express that appropos the response we generally receive from our stakeholders, we were expecting a higher ranking. We request your cooperation in helping us under-stand how data is converted into points and the ranking arrived at so we can improve upon our performance and enhance our ranking in the years to come.
N. Bhatti
Principal, Blue Bells Model School
Sector 4, Gurgaon
The perceptual assessment method-ology is detailed on p.45 of our cover story — Editor
Disheartening misclassification
While we appreciate EducationWorld and its contents, it is with great dismay that we have to point out the incomp-leteness of your EW-C fore Survey of Schools 2011 (EW September).
Please explain how your survey supports the following parameters — discipline & life skills education; leadership/management quality; indivi-dual attention to students; teacher welfare & development; competence of faculty; community service etc.
Sincerely speaking, we are disheart-ened to see that KiiT International School, Bhubaneswar has been ranked in the day scho-ols category, when we are the only school in eastern India fully authorised to offer in-ternational curriculums — IGCSE and IBO — with trained and qualified teachers. We offer state-of-the-art infrastructure and 30-40 percent of our 600 students are enroled in the international programme. Since we believe in quality holistic education, I don’t see any reason why our school could not be ranked in the international schools category in terms of curriculum, infrastructure, and achievements.
We would have appreciated your representative visiting our school to check these details. Unfortunately, this was not done. This would have given a clear/better picture about KiiT International and other institutions in our group.
We look forward to your educating us about the ranking methodology. It will help us chalk out our areas of improvement.
T. Gnanadurai
KiiT International School, Bhubaneswar
For an institution to qualify for international school status, an offshore examination board curriculum must be offered from middle school onwards. Moreover at least 20 percent of students should have signed up for international examinations. Our information is that KiiT International doesn’t satisfy either condition — Editor
Day boarding suggestion
My heartfelt congratulations on your excellent September issue featuring the EW-C fore India’s Most Respected Schools Survey 2011. I have a suggestion for your next year’s survey. Please assess schools under four categories: day schools, day boarding schools, boarding schools and international schools. Day boarding schools are emerging as a preferred choice of parents and their number is consistently rising.
Sai International School, Bhubaneswar (estb.2008), though new, already has an enrolment of 2,000 students and has received outstanding school certification from British Council India. After reading the criteria for the survey, I am confident we will score high on all parameters as a day boarding school. Unfortunately our school is not in the list of schools which were evaluated this year. I hope we will be assessed next year.
Bijoy K. Sahoo, Chairman
JSS Group & SAI International School
Bhubaneswar
Ranking methodology query
We’ve read the September cover story ‘EW-C fore India’s Most Respected Schools Survey 2011’ and wish to know the parameters which are decided and (how) the judgement is finally concluded as we met most of the categories when we filled the questionnaire.
I would like to know where Ryan International School, Nerul, Mumbai stands and which are the areas where we need to improve our performance so that we feature in your list of India’s Most Respected Schools league table next year.
Katherine James
Principal
Ryan International School, Nerul
Mumbai
Please read p.45 of our cover story which thoroughly explains the ratings and ranking methodology — Editor
Remedial measures needed
I read the entire India’s Most Respected Schools Survey 2011 cover story (EW September). I convey my appreciation and congratulations to you and your team for bringing out a comprehensive survey of the country’s top schools. The parameters you have used to evaluate the schools are relevant and essential. But I am not sure whether your decision to select sample respondents in 16 cities is correct. For example, in the city of Jaipur how many people were interviewed? For that matter, how many were interviewed from the state of Rajasthan? Did any surveyors visit St. Xavier’s, Jaipur?
I am a Jesuit priest belonging to an international Catholic religious order called The Society of Jesus, known as Jesuits. We usually do not pay much attention to publicity or self-glorification. People know very well about our schools across the country and around the world.
However it is very important for the media to present an objective and realistic picture of schools in India. I strongly feel that introspection is needed in this regard. I hope you will take the required remedial measures before conducting your next survey.
Fr. John Ravi, SJ
Principal, St. Xavier’s Sr. Sec. School
Jaipur
Famous HBS alumni
Re your cover story EW-C fore India’s Most Respected Schools Survey 2011 (EW September), I am disappointed that my alma mater, Himali Boarding School, Kurseong is ranked so low on the quality of alumni parameter. I think we deserve a better ranking given the contributions my fellow ex-Himalians have been making far and wide.
Here is a list of a few of our famous alumni: Sumit Khanal, lecturer, International Institute of Business and Information Technology, Sydney; Raju Das, IAS, director, Alipore Zoo; Saguna Shah, coordinator, IATA, Nepal; Johana Shah, programme assistant, World Bank, Washington DC; Sandip Rakhit, CEO, Grey, Vietnam; Anand Soondas, senior journalist, The Times of India; Rajiv Edward, entrepreneur (hotels), among others.
Sanjog Dutta
Secretary, Himali Boarding School Alumni Association
Kurseong
Encouraging news
Thank you for the news that Orchid International School, Nashik, has been ranked No.9 in the EducationWorld-C fore India’s Most Respected Schools Survey 2011. We are very happy that our determined and earnest efforts have been acknowledged in this manner by the survey team of your esteemed magazine.
We assure you that our school shall continue its educational endeavour with renewed vigour in times to come!
Dr. Sundar Gandikota
Principal, Orchid International School
Nashik
Words of appreciation
I wish to convey my sincere thanks for publishing the EducationWorld-C fore Survey of Schools 2011 (EW September). I appreciate the efforts put in by you and your team for rating and ranking India’s best schools.
We look forward to continuous improvement in your surveys.
Alka Kshatriya
Principal
R.D. Rajpal Public School, Dwarka
New Delhi