The top three were profiled on November 30
Methodology: The survey was conducted in two phases by market research agency C fore (
www.cfore.org) . In the first phase, a perception-based survey was conducted to zero in on a list of top 10 s
chools from six zones across Delhi — Central, North, Southeast, Southwest, East and West.
In all, 1,200 respondents, comprising parents and teachers and spread uniformly across the city, took part in the survey.
The respondents were asked to recall the top 10 schools in their zone.
In the second phase, a similar survey was carried out, asking parents and teachers to rate those schools on a scale of 10 against various parameters (mentioned in the table on the left).
The parents-and-teachers ratio in both phases of the survey was 80:20.
4. Vasant Valley
At Vasant Valley, breakfast and lunch at school are mandatory for students up to class 4.
“Students don’t have to carry heavy bags and they also get served fresh and hot meals,” said Rekha Krishnan, headmistress of the senior wing.
It is details like these that the school pays attention to for the overall development of its students. Krishnan said the curriculum is designed to hone qualities like leadership and self-discipline among students.
There are visits to hospitals, activities like paper recycling and education of the under-privileged in which senior students have to participate.
Sports, performing arts, debating and music also form a significant part of the curriculum.
The school also has two separate buildings for junior and senior sections. There is an open-air stage, labs and a library among other facilities.
At a glance
Numbers: 1250 students, 150 teachers
Board: CBSE
Academic rigour: Toppers of Class 10 and 12 for 2008-09 scored 93.2 per cent and 96 per cent, respectively.
Nursery cost: Rs. 99,500 per year.
No. of nursery admits: 60
Website: http://www.vasantvalley.org
5. Modern School, Vasant Vihar
The sparkling trophies jostle with each other for space in the cupboards located in the principal’s room.
“The school soccer team has won seven tournaments in the last two months and three chess teams are playing at the national level,” said Principal Goldy Malhotra, as she proudly shows off her students achievements.
No wonder Modern School, Vasant Vihar, has scored the highest in sports education in the south-west zone.
The school coaches its students in golf, cricket, basketball and chess.
The school has a team of very efficient teachers who develop their own content that are tailor-made to fit the needs of the students.
At a glance
Numbers: 2,200 students, 150 teachers
Board: CBSE
Academic rigour: Toppers of Class 10 and 12 for 2008-09 scored 96 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively.
Nursery cost: Rs. 37,800 (only tuition fee) per year.
No. of nursery admits: 100
Website: www.modernschoolvv.com
6. DPS, Vasant Kunj
Delhi Public School (DPS), Vasant Kunj, was established in 1994 — four years after DPS, RK Puram, was established — and its rise mirrors the change that has swept Delhi.
It meets educational needs of 4,000 students and is one of the most popular schools in southwest Delhi.
The school may have been ranked no. 6 in the HT C-fore survey, but in the eyes of the survey’s respondents it stands second only to DPS RK Puram in academic accomplishment.
It offers new-age teaching facilities, including Math and fashion technology laboratories and has tie ups with institutions abroad.
“The focus is primarily on student-teacher relationships,” said Vice-principal Rachna Mittal.
Her colleague vice-principal Bindu Sehgal agreed. “DPS Vasant Kunj believes in producing well rounded human beings,” she said.
At a glance
Numbers: 4,000 students, 212 teachers
Board: CBSE
Academic rigour: Toppers of Class 10 and 12 for 2008-09 scored 94.8 per cent and 96.2 per cent (Science), respectively.
Nursery cost: Rs 49,000 for the full year, excluding transport..
No. of nursery admits: 175
Website: www.dpsvasantkunj.com
7. DPS, Dwarka
Delhi Public School, Dwarka, is big —the campus is spread over 10-acre land —and it’s beautiful.
It also has a special corner for music. With three rock bands, the school uses students’ interest in music to focus their minds and improve their grades.
The youngest band is called Centre Of Attraction and comprises students of classes 6 and 7.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are an umpteen number of clubs that engage students in various activities. “We don’t need to improve 1000 per cent in any one area. All we need is to improve one per cent in 1,000 different areas, which is a lot easier,” said Principal Sunita Tanwar.
At a glance
Numbers: 3,264 students, 183 teachers
Board: CBSE
Academic rigour: Toppers of Class 10 and 12 for 2008-09 scored 98 per cent and 94.8 per cent (Commerce), respectively.
Nursery cost: One time fee of Rs 20,000 (including first quarter fee). Rs 8,875 (includes transportation) is the per quarter fee for the rest of the year.
No. of nursery admits: 180
Website: www.dpsdwarka.com
8. Venkateshwar International
What Venkateshwar International, one of the youngest entrants to the list of top 10 schools in the southwest zone, has achieved in nine years, many have failed to accomplish in decades.
The school’s impressive infrastructure offers a half Olympic-size swimming pool, two lawn tennis courts, a football field, a library with 20,000 books, a fleet of 35 school buses, an auditorium, smart boards, LAN connectivity and use of multimedia in teaching-learning pedagogy.
The school building itself has been voted as one of the architectural marvels of West Delhi.
“Each student is given the opportunity and the exposure to realise their potential,” said Principal Mrinalini Kaura. “We give more emphasis to learning than teaching. We teach the child, not the subject.”
The school has ties with institutions in Europe, Australia and the US.
At a glance
Numbers: 2,230 students, 130 teachers
Board: CBSE
Academic rigour: Toppers of Class 10 and 12 in 2008-09 scored 94 per cent and 94.8 per cent, respectively
Admission cost: Rs.55,000 per year.
No. of pre-primary admits: 240
Website: www.vis10dwarka
9. Air Force Golden Jubilee
Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute has a warm old-world feel to it.
Classrooms for the 105 differently-abled students and those of other children are in the same building.
The school has a separate section for primary students and is all set to admit 105 students in KG in the next academic session.
Principal Shipra Sarkar prizes the 23-year-old school library that offers more than 17,000 books and is on the verge of getting fully automated.
Sarkar said Air Force Golden Jubilee was a well-knit school where students were discouraged from spending too much money on the canteen that does not sell soft drinks. If a student is found splurging, the canteen informs the teacher concerned who decides whether to inform the parents.
The school also has an aero-modelling club led by S.K. Sharma, a teacher, that lets students discover the nuances of designing miniature aeroplanes and flying them.
At a glance
Numbers: 2,165 students, 82 teachers
Board: CBSE
Academic rigour: Toppers of Class 10 and 12 for 2008-09 scored 96 per cent and 94.8 per cent, respectively..
Nursery cost: Rs 28,730 for a year.
No. of KG admits: 105
Website: www.afgji.org
10. Tagore International
“Our endeavour is to make the student worthy of being a citizen, a child to his parents, a student of this institution by working on each child’s positives,” said Madhulika Sen, principal of Tagore International, Vasant Vihar.
A strong faculty ensures that children express themselves according to their potential. “Our school gives us the opportunity to grow and develop into individuals we have the potential to be,” said Aakansha Dalal, a class 12 student.
There are projects like adopting monuments and being part of virtual classrooms.
As part of an exchange programme, students teach Chinese students yoga and learn calligraphy from them on virtual classrooms.
At a glance
Numbers: 1,854 students, 92 teachers
Board: CBSE
Academic rigour: Toppers of Class 10 and 12 for 2008-09 scored 94.6 per cent and 94.4 per cent, respectively..
Nursery cost: Rs40,850 per year.
No. of KG admits: 132
Website: www.tagoreint.com