Navarathna Murthy had the fortune of being transferred to India. After working in the U.S., he returned to work for McAfee, India. Concern arose about his 10-year -old son, born and raised in the U.S., during the early years of schooling.
Finding an appropriate school after settling in Bangalore last year was difficult and Murthy considered various options, including consulting relatives and friends to find the right school. After researching and comparing schools, he chose the one he thought was suitable for his son to continue education. Today, his son is fully engrossed in studies while having no qualms regarding Murthy’s choice of school.

A lot of people who return to India to work face similar situation: selecting the right school for their children. Choosing the right school to assist their child’s continued education is the top priority for all of them. It’s not difficult to choose a school— all one must do is decide from an array of available options. There are many options and with a little extra effort one can zero in on the right school. However, one can always consult family and friends in India while choosing the school.

Schools are not problematic. Today there are schools of different nationalities-American, British, and Canadian etc. These international schools also follow the American academic calendars and offer a choice of language electives — including French, German and Spanish in the curriculum.

With curriculums like International Baccalaureate being offered by the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate Organization, International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) by the Cambridge University, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Indian Council for Secondary Education (ICSE) offered by the Central Government, students accustomed to studying outside the country can anticipate quality programs. The curriculum are offered by schools such as The Canadian School of India, Indus International School, The International School, Jain International Residential School, Sarala Birla Academy among various others. These curriculum follow and maintain similar standards as those found in American schools, enable students to keep abreast of the latest in education while helping them pursue higher education. An attractive feature is that their courses’ commencement follows the internationally accepted practice.

All these schools today have international students from many parts of the world like U.S, UK, Middle East, South East Asia and Africa. Students from these countries praise the quality of the Indian education. This wasn’t the situation until recently. Things have changed thanks to India’s emergence as the Information Technology hub of the world.

The lingering question about facilities is cause for notice. Almost all schools offer facilities including student pick up and drop off. As almost all international schools are located in the outskirts of Bangalore, schools have their own transportation arrangements. It usually takes between a half hour to an hour and a half to reach these schools. Jain International Residential School, located in Kanakapura, is perhaps the farthest at about 25 miles away from the city. Others, like Indus School, are located on Sarjapur Road, a place known for IT companies. Other schools located in the IT corridor are the Ryan International School and The International School Bangalore (TISB), located in Whitefield. Whitefield and Sarjapur are also witnessing many residential activities, something excitable as both the school and the workplace could be closer to house. But beating travel time is useless unless one considers the travel cost. For most students, travel costs are included in the fees.
However, the fees are similar to the U.S. standards. At most schools fees begin at above $7,500 per year. “Our fees are usually in the region of $7,750 per annum and that’s nothing when compared to the facilities we provide,” says Chainraj Jain, Chairman, Jain International Residential School.

At the Canadian International School of India, the fees could be anywhere between $4,437 and $11,700 including tuition fees but excluding the hostel facilities. Hostel accommodation can cost an extra $5,625.

But do the children really get adjusted to the ecosystem after paying such high fees? Yes, if the child is young, and difficult if the child is a little older. One should expedite relocation decisions as it highly impacts a child’s adjustment levels.
Most relocation decisions are based on whether the child will be able to adjust to the new eco system. Murthy rushed to India because he had an older son and any further delays could have caused problems with adjusting to the new environment. Most children find it easy to adapt in terms of friends and learning. Adjustment also becomes enjoyable and easier when schools provide facilities that these children were accustomed with in the U.S. Sports like horse riding, swimming, gymnastics, track and field events, and golf that these schools offer engross students, enabling them to adjust quickly.

If education is a major concern for those returning to India, then one shouldn’t be unduly worried about what will unfold for them. Helping their children continue education requires only a little patience and trust in the schools here. Advice and assistance are beneficial when choosing an appropriate school.