This week, The Free Press Journal’s Mumbai School Survey 2025 reached its another milestone. Our expert jury panel came together to discuss and deliberate on a question that is on every parents’ mind - what is a good school? After months of collecting primary data of over a hundred schools across Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, the survey had reached phase 2 of identifying the Top 10 in the various parameters assessed in this year’s survey.
The survey spanning across 10 parameters took into consideration various stakeholders in the journey of learning and formal education. “From academic excellence to sports achievements, from experiential learning to community engagement, from students and parents to teachers. “It kept every voice in education at the centre of its inquiry,” said Gauri Rane, a senior education journalist and researcher who holds an advanced certification in Education Leadership from IIM Calcutta. Rane works on building frameworks that help schools transition from compliance driven systems to a curiosity-lead learning journey. This is evident in how The Mumbai School Survey finds its inspiration from The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for Child Rights and Education.
“Our goal is to move beyond rankings, and understand how schools turn intent into consistent, inclusive practice. This year the Mumbai School Survey sits at the intersection of policy, pedagogy, and human purpose to explore how learning actually takes place in classrooms,” said Rane as she took the jury through the rigorous scoring and evidence checks that shaped the shortlisted schools for the jury review.
Based on data-driven and evidence backed scoring of participating schools, the jury with their keen eye and wealth of experience used a three-lens framework: Innovation and Intent, Implementation and Inclusion and Evidence and Impact to identify the final Top 10. Discussions moved from their experiences at these listed schools, to perception to reality checks and evidence checks.
As the meeting concluded, a list of Top 10 impactful schools across parameters began to take form. A clear indication that schools in Mumbai are on a pathway where innovation, inclusivity and consistency is embedded in the culture of the school whether in everyday lesson planning, teacher professional development, community engagement or holistic learning experience.
The jury panel for Mumbai School Survey 2025, represented a cross-section of thought leadership in education, including, curriculum design, mental-health advocacy, fitness and sports and educational research.
The meet also reflected upon how there is a change in what excellence is understood as. Jury members noted that many schools in Mumbai are moving from activity-based programs toward intentional design — integrating technology, well-being, and skills for life within academic frameworks.
The outcomes of the jury deliberations will be presented in the forthcoming issues, which will feature the selected schools and highlight the evolving face of our city’s education collective.
JATIN PARANJAPE: The survey leads to introspection by the schools on these most valuable parameters that have been set up. The entire philosophy behind the survey was fan tastic.
JATIN PARANJAPE |
SWATI SALUNKHE: The survey had unique parameters, which are very relevant to our landscape. There was openness in accepting that a lot of work is yet to be done.
SWATI SALUNKHE |
DR HARISH SHETTY: I think this exercise of understanding schools was a great learning experience and with the entire faculty of experts, we all learnt a lot.
DR HARISH SHETTY |
DR PRATIBHA JAIN: This survey is superbly conducted. The minute detailing of each category and the kind of effort taken to col lect information. It will become a piece of history and sort of a benchmark for all schools to follow in Mumbai and perhaps the rest of India.
DR PRATIBHA JAIN |
DR SWAROOP RAWAL: So many categories and so many ques tions, I believe it’s a fantastic survey. It was a great learning experience to not only know about schools but even different points of views of thinking and learning.
DR SWAROOP RAWAL |
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