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Cover Story EW INDIA SCHOOL RANKINGS 2023-24

ing the easy option of constituting higher education and/or transform
a jury of eminent educationists and into productive professionals in their
enclosing them in a room to award chosen workplaces.
scores under our chosen parameters The EWISR 2023-24 is the
of excellence and total the scores to outcome of an elaborate exercise
rank schools. We were aware that because of the more objective field
with education being accorded low survey methodology employed.
priority by government and the During the period May-August this
media — EW, launched in 1999 with year, 127 field researchers inter-
the mission to “build the pressure of viewed 18,928 ‘sample respondents’
public opinion to make education the comprising educationists, principals,
#1 item on the national agenda”, was teachers and SEC (socio-economic
the first news and features periodi- category) ‘A’ fees-paying parents and
cal in this space — there was sparse senior students in 34 cities across
awareness even among experienced India. In addition, 826 SEC B, C and
educationists about schools beyond D parents with children enrolled
their bailiwicks. in government and budget private
T HEREFORE, WE CHOSE C fore’s Palety: objective field survey to rate and rank schools in these
schools (BPS) were interviewed
categories.
the more painstaking —
“Every respondent was shown
and expensive — option
of engaging the services of a strongly suspect cash-for-rank a list of pre-selected schools in the
nexus in most of them.
of Delhi-based Centre for Forecast- Be that as it may, in Education- country’s four regions — East, West,
ing & Research Pvt. Ltd (C fore, World we have little to complain North and South, as they were more
estb.2000), a highly reputed market because the thorough annual EWISR likely to be familiar with schools in
research and opinion polls company, generates tremendous enthusiasm their own region. Then they were
to conduct field interviews with across the country with schools asked to rate schools that they
16,000-18,000 educationists, princi- anxious to be included and ranked were aware of on a ten point scale
pals, teachers and parents country- with peer institutions — a welcome against 14 parameters of primary-
wide to rate and rank schools in their sign of widespread intent to improve secondary education excellence, viz,
regions under chosen parameters of learning outcomes and provide teacher welfare and development,
primary-secondary education excel- well-rounded education across all competence of faculty, academic
lence. parameters. And over time based on reputation, co-curricular activities
Since then over the past 16 years, the feedback we receive, the annual & internationalism, individual
the annual EWISR based on this EWISR has continued to improve, attention to students, curriculum
elaborate methodology — which adding or substituting parameters in and pedagogy (hybrid learning
eliminates subjectivity and bias to the interests of offering an increas- readiness), sports, infrastructure
the maximum extent possible — of ingly holistic profile of ranked provision, value for money,
rating and ranking over 4,000 of the schools. Our intent is to encourage leadership/management quality,
country’s primary-secondaries in school managements to provide a parental involvement, mental &
over a dozen separate categories and wholesome education experience to emotional well-being services,
under 14 parameters of excellence, students which will enable and pre- provision for special needs children,
has evolved into the gold standard pare them to derive the full benefit of pastoral care (only for residential
of school rankings. Inevitably, with schools) and community service.
the success of EWISR which has Schools assessed by less than 25
achieved global renown — schools in Over the past 16 years, persons were not considered for
several neighbouring countries have the annual EWISR, which ranking. The scores awarded by
pleaded for inclusion — competi- sample respondents under each
tive rankings have sprung up. But eliminates subjectivity and parameter were totaled and used
school managements and parents bias to the maximum extent for ranking schools in each sub-
are advised caution against relying category. To make the findings
on thinly plagiarised versions of possible, has evolved into more user friendly, the ten point
EWISR. Firstly, because they suffer the gold standard of school score against each parameter was
the infirmity of jury-based rankings rankings multiplied by 10 and rounded
alluded to above, and also because to the nearest whole number.

40 EDUCATIONWORLD OCTOBER 2023