Diluted survey

With reference to your EducationWorld India School Rankings 2013 (EW September), the creation of so many sub-categories within categories has diluted the impact of the annual survey. In my opinion the three categories of day, boarding and international schools of your earlier surveys were far better, and well defined. Whether a school is all-boys, all-girls or co-ed, the basic evaluation parameters such as infrastructure, sports, competence of faculty, quality of leadership etc, are common even though administering co-ed schools is more challenging. On the face of it, your latest survey appears to be a ‘please all’ exercise devised to boost every school’s rank-ing. This is akin to populist budgets that we all are so used to especially before elections. Within the previous three broad categories, all were apples, oranges and the apples-oranges justifi-cation doesn’t wash. I have heard from some principals who attended the awards ceremony at the Lalit, New Delhi on September 14, that because of so many categories, several awardees didn’t feel they were receiving a special award. Nevertheless this in no way takes away from EducationWorld’s sincerity and effort in undertaking this elaborate exercise, but I think you should go back to the former straightforward evaluation system. It was simple and fair. Praveen Vasisht Headmaster The Lawrence School, Sanawar Greater Noida neglect I regret to point out that in the EducationWorld India School Rankings 2013 survey, Greater Noida (NCR) has been completely neglected. There are about 80 schools in this area, and some of them are well known. We have four Somerville Schools in Delhi NCR. Our school in Noida is ranked #56 all-India and the one in Vasundhara Enclave #125. Somerville School, Greater Noida, was the first in the area, a fact acknowledged by the Greater Noida Authority. Our Somerville International School in Greater Noida started functioning from the current academic year, so it is too soon for it to be ranked. But surely at least one school of Greater Noi-da is worthy of inclu-sion in your league tables? I’ll be grateful if you let me know the reason why Greater Noida was completely excl-uded in the EW India School Rankings 2013. Your publication is respected and I am sure it’s an inad-vertent mistake. Thomas T. Roy Secretary/treasurer Lott Carey Baptist Mission in India New Delhi Misleading classification Thank you for hosting a highly enjoyable awards evening in Delhi (EW India School Rankings Awards) on September 14 which gave us an opportunity to meet up with heads of schools from across the country. Daly College has a department for special education with three dedicated full-time teachers. They are very demotivated with the low score you have awarded them on this parameter. How could this have happened? Second, we admit day students from nursery to class I. All students in classes IV-XII are boarders. Therefore Daly College is essentially a boarding school and should be evaluated in this category. To classify us as a day-cum-boarding school is misleading for parents considering us an option for their children. Sumer Singh Principal, Daly College…