Best Boarding Schools in India for Admission

The concept of boarding education in India dates back to the Vedic Age, when the children of royals and affluent families were sent to the boarding schools traditionally called “Gurukuls” to learn warcraft and statecraft along with the virtues of discipline, self-reliance, and spiritual wisdom.

However, the boarding schools in India have evolved over a period of time, and today India is home to several leading boarding schools that are equally popular in the country as well as abroad.

The unique advantages of the best boarding schools in India

The new-age best boarding schools in India have a lot to offer, like

- Access to global standards of education

- Carefully planned structured environment

- Development of life skills like discipline, responsibility, and teamwork, etc.

- Exposure to diverse backgrounds

- Wide range of extracurricular activities

- World-class infrastructure

- Overall personality development

These boarding schools go beyond teaching, they develop character, instill values, and prepare children for life.

The best boarding schools in India

Here is a look at some of the best boarding schools in India for the year 2025-2026 based on the ranking from Edustoke, the most trusted school searching platform.

1. The Doon School—Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Affiliated with the ICSE board, the school specializes in providing all-boys boarding education with a rich legacy of academic excellence and a strong alumni base. Here, the broad range of co-curricular activities forms an integral part of core learning experiences.

2. Isha Home School—Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Isha Home School is a co-educational school with ICSE and IGCSE boards. The school is dedicated to ensuring the holistic development of children in a home-like nurturing environment and offers a unique blend of ancient wisdom coupled with contemporary practices.

3. The Lawrence School—Ooty, Tamil Nadu

With its sprawling campus of about 710 acres, the school has adopted an inclusive approach, thereby welcoming students across diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The school offers modern methods of teaching to meet the needs of the rapidly evolving student population.

4. Good Shepherd International School—Ooty, Tamil Nadu

It is an international school with a vision of ensuring the overall development of students in the most peaceful settings along with modern state-of-the-art infrastructure and educational curriculum. The school has started following an international curriculum in 1995, thereby offering IGCSE, ICSE, and IB curricula.

5. New Era High School—Panchgani, Maharashtra

Started in the year 1945, the school follows the Bahai faith, offering both academic excellence and moral development. Affiliated with the CBSE curriculum, the school encourages academic achievements along with value education among the students.

6. Kodaikanal International School—Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu

A pioneer in the field of IB education, the school adopted IB program in the 1970s, making it the first IB school in India and the third in South Asia. The school offers high standards of boarding and learning facilities through its signature programs in the fields of music, drama, sports, camping, and hiking.

7. Welham Girls School—Dehradun, Uttarakhand

The school aims to provide a nurturing and supportive environment to the girls from India and abroad for their overall development and is known for ensuring academic excellence along with inculcating the best of Indian culture and tradition among the girls.

8. Pathways World School—Gurgaon, Haryana

It is the first IB Continuum School in North India and the first residential school in the region to follow the IB curriculum. The school focuses on a student-centred learning approach wherein project-based learning, learning to learn, and anytime-anywhere learning are its key mantras.

9. Welham Boys' School—Dehradun, Uttarakhand

The school is considered among the finest residential boys’ schools in Dehradun. Affiliated with CBSE, it offers a wide range of academic as well as co-curricular choices and promotes a positive learning environment that encourages all the students to develop a sense of responsible citizenship.

10. Him Academy Public School—Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh

Affiliated with CBSE, the school has consistently achieved several milestones in academics, making it one of the best schools in the region. Recently, Him the school has been selected to implement the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) in its pilot phase, further enhancing its reputation for educational excellence.

Famous alumni from the top residential schools in India

Due to their structured academic program, disciplined environment, and holistic curriculum, the top boarding schools in India have produced many individuals who have become icons in various fields like Politics, Bollywood, Sports, Art, and Literature.

Some notable alumni from the top boarding schools in India are-

Doon School, Dehradun—Rajiv Gandhi (former Prime Minister of India), Karan Thapar (journalist and news anchor), Abhinav Bindra (Olympic gold medallist)

Bishop Cotton, Shimla—Ruskin Bond (renowned author)

Sherwood, Nainital—Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Amitabh Bachchan (legendary Bollywood actor).

How to choose the top boarding school in India for your child.

(some tips for the parents)

Some practical and thoughtful tips for the parents to help them choose the right boarding school for their child are—

- Setting up clear priorities.

- Research about schools’ legacy and reputation.

- Check curriculum, academic rigor, infrastructure, and extracurriculars.

- Location and local climate.

- Pastoral care and safety at the campus.

- Be clear about the fees.

- Talk to other parents and alumni.

The choice for the best boarding school should be based on the child’s learning needs and future aspirations.

Adapting to the best boarding school in India

Despite the ample opportunities for personal development, the adjusting phase in the boarding school can be challenging emotionally, socially, and academically. Here are some thoughtful strategies to help the child settle in smoothly.

- Prepare emotionally before admission.

- Familiarize with the environment.

- Pack comforts from home.

- Practice independence at home.

- Encourage social interactions

- Maintain open and healthy communication.

- Teach emotional coping skills

While the benefits of boarding schools are many, still choosing the right boarding school for their children can be overwhelming for the parents. However, aligning the schools’ offerings with the child’s individual interests and needs can make the whole process smooth, thus turning the entire experience positive and rewarding.