5) Jamnabai Narsee School
Narsee Monjee Bhavan, JVPD, Vile Parle | Website: www.jns.ac.in
History: Three brothers, Chatrabhuj, Pratap and Dharamshee Narsee formed the Narsee Monjee Educational Trust in 1970. The school is named after their mother.
Unique features: Its alumni host one of the state’s largest inter-school festivals, Cascade, annually. The school won the Overall Best Co-Ed School Trophy from the Mumbai School Sports Association this year. For the past 12 years, the school has been hosting a sports meet for differently abled children. The school has a resource centre, staffed by 11 special educators.
“The vision of the school ‘Excellence Through Endeavour’ finds expression through value-based education, with focus on academic competence and developing life skills through sports, performing arts, community focus and leadership training.” — Jairaj Thacker, managing trustee.
Highest ratings for: Selection process, teachers, academic rigour
Boards: Class 10 —ICSE, IGCSE and NIOS, Class 12 — ISC, IB
Annual fee: Not disclosed
Students: 4,800 boys and girls
Student-teacher ratio: 14:1