Primary Schooling in India: Meaning, Importance, Top Schools

Primary schooling is the bedrock of an individual’s development. This phase of schooling prepares nascent minds for personal and social life. The availability of quality education during this phase empowers children to become sensitive and sensible adults of tomorrow. The provision of wholesome and comprehensive education to children in primary classes (Classes 1 to 5) will also add to the growth, development, and prosperity of the nation. Teachers or instructors must channelise the energy of a child at this stage and help them explore new interest areas.

Significance of Primary Schooling

The government of India has recognised the importance of primary education in its Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, (RTE) 2009. This Act guarantees free education to children enrolling in primary sections of schools. According to this act, it is the duty of the central, state, and local governments to establish primary schools for children. There is no screening procedure or capitation fee for admission to government schools offering primary education. In addition, the private schools of India also give the utmost importance to students of Classes 1 to 5. 

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Significance

Children exhibit maximum cerebral development in Classes 1 to 5. The importance of primary schooling is as follows:

• Imbibes self-confidence and critical thinking ability among young minds.
• Improves communication and social skills of children.
• Enables them to deal with emotional situations in daily life.
• Make them curious about social surroundings.
• Lays down the foundation of languages and arithmetic in the life of tiny adults.
• Identification of a child’s talent and allow them to realise their talents to their full potential.
• Development of mental and physical abilities of kids of primary classes.

Curriculum of Primary Education

The RTE Act lays down the curriculum for primary education in India. This basic structure is followed by the central government, state board, CICSE, and CBSE schools. The curriculum of primary schools is as follows:

• The academic authority of the school will specify the subjects for each class.
• The exams will be based on the defined curriculum by the affiliated board and school authority.
• Evaluation of children from Classes 1 to 5 will be based on the all-around development of children.
• The medium of instruction must be practicable and easy for the children.
• There should be a continuous and comprehensive evaluation of the knowledge and understanding of young minds. 
• Teachers must constantly encourage students to explore their talents and realise their academic potential while safeguarding the mental health and human rights of children.
• Children and parents should have the liberty to raise reasonable queries with teachers and the school authorities.
• Schools must ensure that all the Constitutional rights of parents and children are respected by the stakeholders of the academic institution. 

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Subjects in Primary Schooling

Basic subjects for students of Classes 1 to 5 are the same across all education boards. Important subjects in these classes are:

• English
• Hindi
• Social Science
• Science
• Environmental Science
• Basics of Computer
• Mathematics
• Arts and Crafts

Top Schools for Primary Schooling in India

There are numerous options for sublime education in India. Given below are some of the eminent schools for primary education in India. These schools are focused on the overall development of tiny humans who can shift mountains if nurtured with care and provided with comprehensive education. 

Schools	Education Board	Location	Type of School
The Asian School	CBSE	Dehradun	Co-Ed; Boarding
St. Xavier’s Collegiate School	CISCE	Kolkata	Boys; Day
Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj	CBSE	New Delhi	Co-Ed; Day-cum-Boarding
Delhi Public School RK Puram	CBSE	New Delhi	Co-Ed; Day-cum-Boarding
Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul International School	CBSE	Hyderabad	Boys; Day-cum-Boarding
Bombay Scottish School	CISCE	Mumbai	Co-Ed; Day
St. John’s High School	CBSE	Chandigarh	Boys; Day
Sainik School	CBSE	Ghorakhal	Co-Ed; Boarding
Greenwood International High School	IB; ICSE; IGCSE	Bangalore	Co-Ed; Day-cum-Boarding
Emerald Heights International School	CBSE	Indore	Co-Ed; Day-cum-Boarding
The Scindia School	CBSE	Gwalior	Boys; Boarding
Scindia Girls	CBSE	Gwalior	Girls; Boarding
Mayo College	CBSE	Ajmer	Boys; Boarding
Kendriya Vidyalaya	CBSE	All over India	Co-Ed; Boarding
Dayanand Arya Vedic Public School (DAV)	CBSE	All over India	Co-Ed; Day
Atomic Energy Central School	CBSE	Jamshedpur; Narwapahar	Co-Ed; Day
Air Force School	CBSE	Chandigarh	Co-Ed; Day
Army Public School	CBSE	Dhilwan	Co-Ed; Boarding
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Cantonment Board Senior Secondary School	CBSE	Delhi	Co-Ed; Day
The Shri Ram School	CICSE	Delhi	Co-Ed; Day
Jamnabai Narsee School	CICSE	Mumbai	Co-Ed; Day
Mallya Aditi International School	CICSE	Bangalore	Co-Ed; Day
The Valley School	CICSE	Bangalore	Co-Ed; Day
La Martiniere For Boys	CICSE	Kolkata	Co-Ed; Day
Hiranandani Foundation School	CICSE	Mumbai	Co-Ed; Day

Admission Process of Primary Schools in India

To procure admission to Classes 1 to 5, parents must visit the school website and the school to avail the admission brochure. The basic information about the admission procedure of primary classes is as follows:

• Avail the application form for respective classes from the official website of the school or the school office.
• Fill out the application form.
• Submit the required documents and photographs of the child.
• Certain schools, especially private schools, have a written test and an interview round for parents and the child.
• List of selected children is published on the website or put up on the notice board of the school.
• Parents then have to submit the admission fees and other mandatory charges.

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Fees of Top Primary Classes in India

Parents are recommended to refer to the admission brochure of each school to learn about the exact fee structure of each primary school class. The below-mentioned cost of new admission is subject to change and it varies each academic year. 

Schools	Total Cost for New Admission
The Asian School, Dehradun	INR 80,500
St. Xavier’s Collegiate School	INR 40,000
Mayo College/Mayo College Girl’s School	INR 1.07 lakh
Delhi Public School	INR 1.60 lakh
Kendriya Vidyalaya	INR 25
DAV Public School	INR 15,000
Army Public School	INR 50,000 to INR 1 lakh
La Martiniere For Boys	INR 1.5 lakh
The Scindia School	INR 2 lakh
The Shriram School	INR 75,000
The Valley School	INR 27,000
Hiranandani Foundation School	INR 1.20 lakh

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