Overview

EducationWorld, in association with AZ Research Partners Pvt. Ltd. (established 2002, Bangalore), announced the 20th consecutive annual EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR) for the academic year 2026‑27. The press release, dated September 26, 2026, states that the survey covered 4,500 schools across 34 cities and 22 states, making it the world’s largest and most comprehensive school‑ranking exercise.

Methodology

The ranking is based on a nationwide field survey of 18,000 respondents, comprising parents of school‑going children, faculty, educators and counsellors. A fully structured questionnaire was administered via an online link, with respondents able to participate face‑to‑face, telephonically or online. To prevent bias, only one response was accepted per selected respondent and any response suspected of influencing results in favour of a school was rejected. The organisers claim to have developed a “water‑proof” evaluation system for assessing schools across all major categories and sub‑categories.

Rankings Structure

EWISR 2026‑27 rates and ranks schools in three main categories and twenty‑nine sub‑categories, covering Day, Day‑cum‑Boarding, Boarding, International Day, International Day‑cum‑Boarding and International Residential formats. It also includes special segments such as Government Day and Boarding schools, Special Needs, Budget Private and Philanthropic schools. Schools are evaluated on fourteen to fifteen parameters of educational excellence, namely Academic Reputation, Competence of Faculty, Individual Attention to Students, Leadership/Management Quality, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Co‑curricular Education, Sports Education, Community Service, Parental Involvement, Teacher Welfare and Development, Value for Money, Mental and Emotional Well‑being Services, Infrastructure Provision, Special Needs Education, and a fifteenth parameter – Quality of Alumni – for legacy schools.

Ivy League Category Highlights

Responding to stakeholder feedback, EducationWorld introduced a new “Ivy League” category to recognise the best‑of‑the‑best schools that have consistently dominated the rankings. All Ivy League schools receive a common #1 rank but are differentiated by a star rating from 1 to 5. The five‑star Ivy League Day schools for 2026‑27 are Inventure Academy, Bengaluru (noted for its Fit‑for‑Life curriculum) and Vasant Valley School, Delhi (acclaimed for teacher welfare and academic reputation). The Ivy League Day‑cum‑Boarding schools are Daly College, Indore and Greenwood High, Bengaluru. Ivy League Boarding schools include Mayo College, Ajmer. Ivy League International Day schools are Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai and Oberoi International School, Mumbai. Ivy League International Day‑cum‑Boarding schools are Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur and Harrow International School, Bengaluru.

Top Ranked Schools by Category

  • Day Schools #1: Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi (Co‑ed); The Sanskaar Valley School, Bhopal (Day‑cum‑Boarding); Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Chandigarh (Girls); St. John’s High School, Chandigarh (Boys).
  • Boarding Schools #1: Sarala Birla Academy, Bengaluru (Co‑ed) and Welham Boys School, Dehradun (Boys); Ecole Globale International Girls School, Dehradun (Girls); The Assam Valley School, Balipara (Co‑ed).
  • Vintage Legacy Schools #1: St. Michael’s High School, Patna (Co‑ed); St. Mary’s School, Pune (Girls); St. Mary’s School, Mazgaon, Mumbai (Boys); La Martiniere Boys College, Lucknow (Day‑cum‑Boarding); The Lawrence School, Lovedale, Ooty (Co‑ed Boarding); All Saints’ College, Nainital (Girls Boarding); Bishop Cotton School, Shimla (Boys Boarding); Woodstock School, Mussoorie (International Residential).
  • International Schools #1: Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai (Day); Greenwood High International, Bengaluru (Day‑cum‑Boarding); Mussoorie International School (Fully Residential).
  • Government Day Schools #1: Army Public School, Delhi Cantt (Central Government); Rashtriya Military School, Bengaluru (Government Boarding); Government Model Sr Sec School, Sector 16 D, Chandigarh (State Government).
  • Other Categories #1: The Aditya Birla Integrated School, Mumbai (Special Needs); Muni International School, Delhi (Budget Private); Pardada Pardadi School, Bulandshahr (Most Admired Philanthropic).

Additional Information

EducationWorld, established in 1999, claims a readership of over one million teachers, parents and senior students and positions itself as India’s #1 education newsmagazine. Its mission is to “build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda.” The press release notes that the survey expansion to 18,000 respondents across 34 cities in 22 states was undertaken to enhance the robustness of the rankings. The release concludes with a disclaimer that the content is provided under an arrangement with PNN and PTI assumes no editorial responsibility.