The New Destinations

If the metropolitan elite is today lukewarm about traditional elite publicschools like Doon, it’s partly because of the other choices available. Theyrange from day schools offering a more broad-based education than about a decadeago to a new crop of day and boarding schools promising education with amuch-desired "international" flavour.

Pupils at the most popular day schools in the metros, such as Cathedral andBombay Scottish in Mumbai, La Martiniere in Kolkata, and Shri Ram, Sanskriti andVasant Valley schools in Delhi , or Bishop Cotton and Mallya Aditi Internationalschool in Bangalore, include children whose parents were themselves at Doon,Sanawar or Mayo College.

Well-heeled parents seeking a fancier education for their children areheading towards a rash of newer "world" schools. For example:

• G.D.Goenka World School outside Delhi which boasts "an all-season indoor Olympic pool" and a "17-acre, five-hole trainer golf course" and where day schooling costs upwards of Rs 2 lakh a year.
  
  
• Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai, where Sports Day is a page three event, and basic school fees for senior students (day scholars) go up to Rs 2,95,000 per year.
  
  
• A string of new boarding schools in the booming IT belt around Bangalore, like The International School, Bangalore, which charges boarders Rs 5 lakhs annually, excluding a host of extras.

Seriously rich metro parents don’t balk at paying astronomical fees forschools considered more authentically "international" than the above. Forexample:

• The American Schools in Mumbai and Delhi, where educating a high-schooler costs Rs seven to nine lakhs annually - for dayschooling.
  
  
• The Mahindra United World College in Pune, at which a two year IB diploma costs boarders Rs 7 lakhs annually.