Page 247 - EducationWorld November 2020

TOP-RANKED GOVERNMENT BOARDING SCHOOLS

Paromita Sengupta
Although the best among
the Central government’s
636 JNVs dominate the
government boarding
schools league table, some
state governments have
replicated the Centre’s
JNVs initiative to establish
excellent boarding schools

lthough the country’s 1.20
million government schools
Adefined by crumbling build-
ings, primitive infrastructure, AWOL
(absent without official leave) teach-
ers and abysmal learning outcomes, JNV Alappuzha students: regained #1 rank. Inset: Razia Beebi
are the Achilles heel hobbling post-in-
dependence India’s national develop- well-equipped JNVs are on a par with launched in 2015 by the Biju Janata
ment effort, the Central government India’s top ranked day and boarding Dal (BJD) government of Odisha, has
is less blameworthy than the coun- private schools. Unsurprisingly, they made an impressive #5 debut in the
try’s 29 state governments because dominate the EWISR league table of government boarding schools league
over the past seven decades, it has government boarding schools. table.
promoted 1,232 Kendriya Vidyalaya In the EWISR 2020-21, JNV, “We are delighted that we have re-
day schools for the schooling of its Chennithala, Alappuzha (Kerala) gained our #1 ranking and thank your
4 million employees. It’s commonly which had slipped to #3 last year has knowledgeable sample respondents
accepted that teaching-learning stan- regained its top rank of 2017-18 with for recognising the dedicated service
dards and learning outcomes in KVs highest scores under seven of the 14 of my teachers, non-teaching and sup-
— for which substantial provision is parameters of primary-secondary port staff and the hard work, sincerity
made in the Union Budget (Rs.5,516 education excellence, and a 90.12 and commitment of our students. This
crore in 2020-21) — are on a par with percent average in the CBSE class is the outcome of our focus on disci-
top-ranked private schools. XII school-leaving exams of March pline, spirit of competition and coop-
Another laudable initiative of the this year. Motilal Nehru School eration among our students who over
Centre was the promotion of the of Sports, Sonipat, which has been the past quarter century have earned
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya schools moved this year from the category of the reputation of being socially use-
in Jhajjar and Amravati in 1985-86 co-ed boarding to government board- ful, productive and enlightened global
— according to some historians the ing schools, is ranked #2. citizens distinguishing themselves in
late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Further down the 16-strong league the civil service, business and indus-
most enduring legacy. These are free- table of government boarding schools try,” says Razia Beebi T.A, a sci-
of-charge co-ed CBSE-affiliated class are 10 JNVs (Bagalur, Bengaluru Ur- ence alumna of Kerala and Mahatma
VI-XII boarding schools for meritori- ban #3, Gachibowli #6, Kannur #7, Gandhi universities with close to three
ous rural children selected through a Hamirpur #8, Ernakulam #9, Samas- decades of teaching and admin experi-
rigorous entrance exam. Since then, tipur #10, Karim Nagar #11, Chittoor ence in four other JNVs, who was ap-
the number of JNVs — primary-sec- #12, Pathanamthitta #13, Pimpale, pointed principal of JNV-Chennith-
ondaries modeled after the country’s Pune #14). Moreover, Odisha Adar- ala in August 2020. Currently, this
best boarding schools — has risen to sha Vidyalaya, Patharchepa, Bal- boarding school has an enrolment of
636. Generously funded (Union bud- angir, promoted under the aegis of 474 students mentored by 25 teachers
get provision: Rs.3,300 crore in 2020- the Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya San- on its muster rolls.
21), the learning outcomes of the gathan, a publicly funded initiative Debuting at #2 this year is the Mo-

NOVEMBER 2020 EDUCATIONWORLD 247