City Montessori School

City Montessori School
Location
Map
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

India
Coordinates26°47′23″N 80°53′39″E / 26.7896°N 80.8942°E / 26.7896; 80.8942
Information
TypePrivate
MottoJai Jagat
(Victory to the World)
Established1959; 67 years ago (1959)
Founders
GradesPre-primary; I—XII
GenderCo-education
Enrolment61,345 (August 2023[1])
LanguageEnglish
Campus typeMulti urban
Affiliations
Websitecmseducation.org

The City Montessori School (CMS) is a private co-educational, English-medium pre-primary to secondary multi-campus school located in Lucknow, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. With an enrolment of 61,345 students as of 10 August 2023, the school was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's largest school.[1]

In 2014, the CMS Society was accredited by the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) as an affiliated non-governmental organisation (NGO), reflecting its engagement in global educational initiatives.[3]

Background

City Montessori School (CMS) was established in 1959 by educationist Jagdish Gandhi and his wife, Dr. Bharti Gandhi, in a single room at their residence in Lucknow. The school began with an initial enrolment of five students and a modest capital of ₹300.[4][5] This inaugural campus, now designated as the Station Road Branch, remains a historic landmark in the institution's growth.

In 2002, CMS was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education for its emphasis on global unity and value-based education.[6] Additionally, the school received the 'Hope of Humanity' Award from Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism's Gelug ("Yellow Hat") school, in recognition of its contributions to fostering peace and harmony.[7]

In the news

The City Montessori School garnered media attention for its academic collaborations, controversies, and social initiatives. In 2013, CMS was designated as Uttar Pradesh's centre for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), a key requirement for admissions to U.S. universities.[8]

A significant controversy arose in 2015 when CMS denied admission to 31 students from economically weaker sections (EWS) under the Right to Education Act (RTE). The school cited state RTE eligibility criteria, arguing that applicants were either below six years of age (the RTE defines children as aged 6–14), resided beyond a 1 km radius of the campus, or had private schools closer to their homes.[9] Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient Sandeep Pandey protested this decision with a hunger strike, but mediation efforts between the school, administration, and activists failed. CMS subsequently challenged the state's directive in the Allahabad High Court.[10] Following an interim order by the Supreme Court, the school admitted 13 eligible students in compliance with the ruling.[11][12]

CMS has undertaken peace-building efforts during crises, such as promoting communal harmony after the 1992 Ayodhya riots.[13] The school launched the Indo-Pak Children's Pen Friend Project to foster cross-border friendships between Indian and Pakistani students.[14][15] In 2017, CMS students performed yoga at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to mark International Day of Yoga.[16]

Fee hikes have drawn scrutiny over the years. For the 2017–18 academic session, CMS increased fees by 12%,[17] following a 10% hike for most classes and up to 16% for nursery and kindergarten in 2013.[18] The school faced criticism in 2011 after a Class 10 student at its Mahanagar branch died by suicide, allegedly due to threats of public shaming by then-principal Nalini Sharad. A court ordered legal action against Sharad in 2013, rejecting the initial police inquiry. The case remains sub judice, and Sharad retired the same year.[19][20]

In 2023, CMS revised its uniform (including socks and belts) for the first time in 33 years. After complaints of overpricing, the school introduced a helpline for parents to verify prices.[21]

CMS's cultural and academic achievements include hosting the International Children’s Film Festival,[22][23] organizing an international music concert with artists from 17 countries and 11 Indian states (in collaboration with ABRSM),[24][25] and students securing distinction in CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations) board exams.[26][27]

In August 2018, the parents of a female Class 3 student accused boys at the Aliganj campus molested her over a "Truth and Dare" game. Protests followed and the case was solved without any external legal interference.[28]

Campuses

CMS has twenty campuses across Lucknow. As of 2023, the major campuses were:[29]

Campus name Date established Coordinates Website
Aliganj I & II[a] cmseducation.org/campuses/aliganj1
Anand Nagar
Asharfabad
Ayodhya Road
Chowk 1961 26°48′42″N 80°57′37″E / 26.8118°N 80.9604°E / 26.8118; 80.9604 cmseducation.org/campuses/chowk
Gomti Nagar I & II[a] 1991 cmseducation.org/branches/gomti
Golf City[a]
Indira Nagar I & II 1982 26°53′14″N 80°59′44″E / 26.8872°N 80.9956°E / 26.8872; 80.9956 cmseducation.org/campuses/indiranagar
Jopling Road
Kanpur Road 1993 26°47′24″N 80°53′34″E / 26.7900°N 80.8928°E / 26.7900; 80.8928 cmseducation.org/branches/kanpur.html
Mahanagar
Rajajipuram I & II[a]
Rajendra Nagar I & II
Research Designs &
Standards Organisation (RDSO)		 1964 cmseducation.org/branches/rdso.html
Shalimar OneWorld
Station Road 1959 26°47′23″N 80°53′39″E / 26.7896°N 80.8942°E / 26.7896; 80.8942 cmseducation.org/campuses/stationrd
  1. ^ a b c d Affiliated with the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) and follow the IGCSE curriculum.[2]

Notable alumni

  • The academic block at the Kanpur Road campus
    The academic block at the Kanpur Road campus
  • The auditorium at the Gomti Nagar campus
    The auditorium at the Gomti Nagar campus

References

  1. ^ a b "Largest school by pupils". Guinness World Records. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Find a Cambridge school". cambridgeinternational.org.
  3. ^ "United Nations Department of Public Information Increases Global Network of Associated Non-Governmental Organizations, Approving 15 More Groups" (Press release). United Nations Department of Public Information. 10 June 2014. NGO/796-PI/2100PRESS RELEASE. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  4. ^ "City Montessori School, Lucknow, India". www.cmseducation.org. Retrieved 25 December 2021.[self-published source?]
  5. ^ "ISC and ICSE Schools in Lucknow". www.cmseducation.org.[self-published source?]
  6. ^ "The City Montessori School (India) awarded the 2002 UNESCO prize for Peace Education" (Press release). UNESCO. 6 June 2002. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  7. ^ "The biggest school in the world". Independent Education. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  8. ^ Press Reader [dead link]
  9. ^ "RTE dispute: HC orders inspection of school". The Times of India. Times News Network. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  10. ^ Shahira, Naim (16 July 2015). "UP stumbles on the Right to Education front". The Tribune. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  11. ^ Overdorf, Jason (16 December 2015). "52,000 students and 1,050 classrooms: inside the world's largest school". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  12. ^ "CMS admits 13 poor kids on SC directive". The Times of India. Times News Network. 30 September 2015. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  13. ^ Mathews, Dylan. "War Prevention Works" (PDF). Oxford Research Group. pp. 24–25. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  14. ^ Pisharoty, Sangeeta Barooah. "Pals we are!". The Hindu. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  15. ^ Dubey, Mohit (9 November 2012). "Kids blame media for portraying India and Pakistan as enemies". The Weekend Leader. No. 45. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  16. ^ "On Yoga Day, Lucknow Students to Perform at UN Headquarters". NDTV.com.
  17. ^ बी.टेक, एमबीए से महंगी नर्सरी की पढ़ाई [Pre-school education costlier than B.Tech, MBA Courses]. Hindustan (newspaper) (in Hindi). No. Lucknow Live. Lucknow: HT Media. 27 March 2017.
  18. ^ Jain, Isha (2 April 2013). "New academic session, new fee structure". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  19. ^ "CMS student receives 'deafening' slap from teacher". The Times of India. Times News Network. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  20. ^ "Ex-principal to face trial for student's suicide, says court". The Times of India. Times News Network. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  21. ^ अभिभवकों ने यूनिफाॅर्म खरीद ली तब भेजा नोटिस. Amar Ujala (Newspaper) (in Hindi). Amar Ujala Publications. 16 April 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  22. ^ "Lucknow will host the biggest children's film festival". India Today. 12 March 2019.
  23. ^ राजधानी लखनऊ में होगा सबसे बड़ा अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय बाल फिल्म महोत्सव जाने इसके बारें में [11th world's biggest international children's film festival in Lucknow]. patrika.com (in Hindi). 11 March 2019.
  24. ^ "Músicos dominicanos participan en histórico concierto en India" (in Spanish). 23 April 2019 – via Press Reader.
  25. ^ "Indo-Austrian composer's heart beats for his city". Hindustan Times. 22 April 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  26. ^ "CISCE ICSE, ISC merit list 2019: Lucknow students steal the limelight". Hindustan Times. 7 May 2019.
  27. ^ "ICSE pass percentage up in UP, but no merit list due to Covid". Hindustan Times.
  28. ^ Sharma, Saurabh (13 August 2018). "Parents protest outside Lucknow school after Class 3 girl gets molested over a 'truth or dare' game". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 12 September 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  29. ^ "Campuses". City Montessori School. 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2020.[self-published source?]
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Montessori_School,_RDSO_Branch