Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Dhirubhai Ambani International School,  (DAIS, estb.2003), Mumbai, has steadily improved its national ranking rising in the erstwhile composite league table of international schools from #6 in 2010, to #4 in 2011 and #2 in 2012. Now in the re-formatted EW India School Rankings 2013, respondents of the EW survey have voted DAIS Indias #1 inter-national day school. Affiliated with IBO, Geneva and CIE, UK, it has been awarded the highest aggregate score across all categories of international schools (1326). Moreover, DAIS has been ranked Indias #1 international school — across all categories — on the crucial parameters of competence of faculty, academic reputation, co-curricular education, individual attention to students, parental involvement, teacher welfare and development and leadership/management quality — a record seven of 14 parameters. Quite obviously the corporate management skills which have transformed Reliance Industries Ltd (revenue: Rs.371,119 crore in 2012-13) into Indias largest private sector company in record time, work in education as well.

DAIS  has just completed ten years and this honour is a validation of what our school stands for. From day one, our focus has been on providing educational experiences which children enjoy and bring out the best in them. The highest standards of excellence that we have consistently maintained on all parameters of performance, have confirmed DAIS as the #1 international school in India and among the Top 10 globally. We are fortunate to have been able to recruit the best teachers from across India and around the world, to whom we provide regular in-service training. Our excellent results and outstanding university placements, the awards and honours our students have won in sporting and non-sporting arenas, and above all, the all-round development of children have contri-buted to our schools success. We feel blessed that we have been successful in building a truly happy internationally benchmarked school which upholds Indian values and traditions, says Nita Ambani, a commerce graduate of Mumbai University and founder-chairperson of DAIS, which has 1,058 students and 149 teachers on its muster rolls.

Another Mumbai-based school which has improved its ranking follo-wing disaggregation and subdivision in the EW league table of international schools is Ecole Mondiale World School (EMWS, estb. 2004). Ranked #10 in last years composite league table, EMWS is ranked significantly higher at #2 among international day (excluding day-cum-boarding and wholly resid-ential) schools this year. It makes good sense to evaluate different types of schools inter se. The higher ranking conferred by your respondents on EMWS on a level playing field reflects our true status among international day schools. EMWS is a fully IB school with its philosophy and guiding principles based on IBOs mission statement and its commitment to the holistic development of students with an international mindset for lifelong learning. Moreover, the excellent performance of our students in the testing IGCSE and IB school-leaving exams has raised EMWS in the public esteem, says Finbarr ORegan, an alum of London and Cork (Ireland) universities and former head-master of several international schools in the Middle East, who was appointed principal of EMWS in 2007.

Tied at #2 in the league table with EMWS is Mercedes Benz International School, Pune followed by The Riverside, Ahmedabad (#3), Scottish High International, Gurgaon (#4), International School of Hyderabad (#5) and Oberoi International, Mumbai (#6) – all Top 10 regulars in the annual EW India School Rankings. However further down, several schools — hitherto ranked in the 11-20 slot — have been promoted to the Top 10 table in the 2013 segregated international day schools rankings. Among them: Podar Inter-national School, Santacruz (W), Mumbai (#7), Pathways School, Gurgaon (#8), Stonehill International, Bangalore (#9), and Aditya Birla World Academy, Mumbai (#10).

Paramjit Kaur Narang, director of the recently promoted Pathways School, Gurgaon (PSG, estb.2010) also welcomes subdivision of the composite inter-national schools league table for ease of comparison and because the new format has dramatically vaulted PSG to #8 in the international day schools table — up from #19 last year.

The break-up of the previously composite table is a welcome initiative. It facilitates comparison and serves as a ready-reckoner for parents. Although the reclassification of schools has enabled the newly-promoted PSG to be ranked among the Top 10, the EW league tables would acquire far greater credibility if the perceptions of your respondents were validated by hard data, says Narang, an English literature and education alumna of Patna and Gujarat universities who began her teaching career in Loreto Convent, Ranchi, and later signed up as one of the first teachers of Vasant Valley School, Delhi (1990-2002) prior to joining Pathways World School, Aravali in 2003 and being appointed first director of the state-of-the-art Pathways School, Gurgaon in 2010. Currently the co-ed and IBO, Geneva, and CIE, UK affiliated PSG has 650 students and 65 teachers on its muster rolls.

Click here to see India’s best international day schools all-India ranking