Madhya Pradesh Schools Shine in National Rankings; Daly College, Indore Joins New ‘Ivy League’ of India’s Best Schools EducationWorld India School Rankings 2025-26 Elevates Top Schools in MP to National Spotlight

A New Era in School Rankings: Ivy League India Debuts

EducationWorld, in collaboration with AZ Research Partners, has released the 19th annual EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR) 2025-26, with a groundbreaking new feature — the ‘Ivy League’ category — showcasing India’s “best of the best” schools.

Selected based on consistent excellence across 15 key education parameters, this elite club acknowledges institutions that have not only ranked at the top year after year but have also set a gold standard in Indian school education.

Madhya Pradesh: A New Powerhouse in Indian Schooling

Madhya Pradesh has emerged as a surprising leader this year, with schools from Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, and Sagar earning top national honors across multiple categories:

Ivy League Honorees

• Daly College, Indore
  5-Star Rated | Ivy League Day-cum-Boarding School
  Recognized for its legacy, academic rigor, and co-curricular excellence.

• Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Gwalior
  3-Star Rated | Ivy League Girls’ Boarding School

Top 10 National Rankings: MP Schools Shine Bright

• The Emerald Heights International School, Indore
  Ranked #1 Nationwide | Day-cum-Boarding Category
  Continues its dominance as one of the most admired K-12 institutions in India.

• The Sanskar Valley School, Bhopal
  Ranked #2 Nationwide | Day-cum-Boarding
  Holds its strong position from last year with cutting-edge pedagogy and holistic development.

• The Scindia School, Gwalior
  Ranked #1 Nationwide | Vintage Legacy Boys’ Boarding
  Climbed from #4 last year to the top spot – a testament to enduring excellence.

• SP Jain Gurukul School, Sagar
  Ranked #10 Nationwide | Philanthropy Schools Category

About the Survey

Conducted across 34 cities with 9,500+ respondents (parents, principals, educationists), EWISR 2025-26 evaluated 4,500+ schools in 518 towns and cities across 15 rigorous parameters including:

• Academic Reputation

• Teacher Competence

• Co-curricular & Sports Education

• Mental & Emotional Wellbeing

• Infrastructure

• Alumni Network (for legacy schools)

What Makes the Ivy League Special?

Instead of numeric rankings, Ivy League schools share a common #1 rank and are differentiated by a 1–5 star rating system, recognizing subtle differences in excellence while encouraging broader participation and visibility among other schools.

“This innovation uplifts national standards by allowing top-ranked schools to serve as role models for others, fuelling healthy competition,” says Dilip Thakore, Founder-Editor, EducationWorld.

EducationWorld's Mission

Established in 1999, EducationWorld is India’s leading education newsmagazine with over 1 million readers, focused on making education the top national agenda.

"We want to celebrate educators, schools, and institutions that quietly shape the future of India in classrooms across the country." — Dilip Thakore

Expert Insights

Shubhra Mishra, Founder-Director of AZ Research Partners adds:

“The Ivy League clustering reflects the reality that top schools differ only marginally — this ensures fairness while maintaining excellence as the benchmark.”

Indore is no stranger to academic excellence. Its private institutions are among the most celebrated in India. The Emerald Heights International School topped the state and was ranked No. 1 nationally among co-ed day-cum-boarding schools. Several other schools like The Shishukunj International School, Delhi Public School, and New Digamber Public School also made impressive showings.

But this success story is one-sided.

None of Indore’s central or state government schools found a place in the top national rankings — not even in the top 100, raising uncomfortable questions:

• Why is a city leading in private education unable to deliver even basic visibility for its public institutions?
• Has educational development in Indore become a privilege only for those who can afford private schooling?

Zero government schools from Indore. 2 from Bhopal in the 19th consecutive annual EducationWorld India School Rankings (EWISR) 2025-26 released by EducationWorld, in association with AZ Research Partners Pvt. Ltd. That’s the stark reality emerging from India’s most respected national school rankings for 2025–26. While Indore continues to ride high in private education with some of the country’s top-ranked institutions, its government schools have completely failed to secure a spot in the national list — a damning indicator of systemic neglect and widening educational disparity.

In a year where Madhya Pradesh made strong private-sector gains, only two government-run schools — both from Bhopal — managed to enter the national rankings:

• Army Public School, Bhopal – India Rank 41 (Central Government Schools)
• Model Higher Secondary School, TT Nagar, Bhopal – India Rank 24 (State Government Schools)

Key Takeaways for MP Parents & Educators

• Indore emerges as a leading city for premium K-12 education

• The Daly College earns a rare 5-star Ivy League distinction

• Emerald Heights, Sanskar Valley, and Scindia Schools are setting national benchmarks

• MP schools are now on par with legacy institutions in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru