Seven schools from India have been named among the top 10 finalists for the World’s Best School Prizes 2026, announced in London by UK-based T4 Education. This is the highest number of schools from any single country to be shortlisted in a year since the awards were launched in 2022. The achievement reflects the growing global recognition of Indian schools that are transforming education through innovation, community engagement, and student wellbeing.
What Are the World’s Best School Prizes?
The World’s Best School Prizes were established in 2022 by T4 Education, a UK-headquartered global education organisation founded by Vikas Pota. The prizes were created in response to the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic posed to education worldwide. They aim to identify and celebrate schools that are making a tangible difference in their classrooms and communities, and to give them a global platform so that others can replicate their best practices.
The prizes are awarded across five categories: Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity, and Supporting Healthy Lives. A total prize fund of USD 250,000 is shared equally among the five winners, with each receiving USD 50,000 to expand their work. In addition, all 50 shortlisted schools are eligible for the Community Choice Award, which is decided through a global public vote.
T4 Education works with over 200,000 educators across more than 100 countries. Vikas Pota, the founder, has been recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and serves on the boards of several non-profit organisations.
Seven Indian Schools in the Spotlight
The seven shortlisted Indian schools span four of the five prize categories and represent diverse educational models from Pune, Anantnag, Noida, Bengaluru, and Lucknow. Here is a breakdown of the shortlisted institutions by category.
Innovation Category
Two Indian schools have been shortlisted for the World’s Best School Prize for Innovation.
PCMC Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj English Medium School in Pune, a public school, has been recognised for leading a community reading movement. The school has enabled children with limited access to books to become active readers, critics, and authors. More than 100 student writers from the school have collectively published over 15 books.
Army Goodwill School Wuzur in Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir, has secured a place in the same category. The school has demonstrated how student-led innovation can thrive even in a low-resource, rural setting. Its students have developed projects that address local challenges, showcasing the potential of grassroots problem-solving in conflict-affected regions.
Community Collaboration Category
Three Indian schools have made the shortlist in this category, the highest number from India in any single category this year.
Healthy Planet TGA Early Years School in Noida has earned its place for its relationship-centred, intergenerational learning model. The kindergarten actively involves families, educators, researchers, and the wider community in the learning process.
Inventure Academy in Bengaluru has been shortlisted for creating a collaborative learning ecosystem that places families and the community at the heart of student development. The school’s model integrates academic learning with community participation to build a supportive environment for students.
Seth MR Jaipuria School, Vineet Khand in Lucknow has been recognised for its emphasis on emotional awareness, self-reflection, and holistic wellbeing as part of its educational philosophy.
Environmental Action Category
EuroSchool Bannerghatta in Bengaluru has been shortlisted for the World’s Best School Prize for Environmental Action. The school integrates sustainability, wellbeing, life skills, and academics to nurture environmentally conscious and emotionally resilient learners.
Supporting Healthy Lives Category
Seth Anandram Jaipuria School in Lucknow has been named in the top 10 for the World’s Best School Prize for Supporting Healthy Lives. The school dedicates the first hour of each school day to emotional wellbeing, mindfulness, dialogue, reflection, and community building through a transformative initiative called Project Alchemy.
How the Winners Are Selected
The selection process for the World’s Best School Prizes follows a three-stage judging process. An expert Judging Academy, comprising distinguished leaders from academia, education, non-governmental organisations, social entrepreneurship, government, and the private sector, evaluates the shortlisted schools based on rigorous criteria specific to each category.
The top three finalists in each of the five categories will be announced in November 2026, followed by the category winners. In addition to the jury awards, all 50 shortlisted schools across the five categories are participating in a public vote for the Community Choice Award, which opened in June 2026.
Shortlisted schools and winners will be invited to attend the World Schools Summit in London on January 16-17, 2027. The summit will bring together education experts, policymakers, and school leaders from around the world to share best practices and successful teaching methods.
India’s Growing Presence in the Awards
India’s performance in the World’s Best School Prizes has been steadily improving since the awards were first introduced. In 2022, the inaugural year, several Indian schools made the shortlist, and Indian schools have consistently featured in subsequent years.
In 2025, four Indian schools were among the finalists across various categories, and a Maharashtra-based school, ZP School Jalindarnagar from Pune, won the Community Choice Award. The 2026 edition marks a significant jump, with seven schools shortlisted, the highest ever from any country in a single year.
This record-breaking showing underscores the depth of educational innovation taking place across India, from government schools in rural and conflict-affected areas to independent schools in metropolitan cities. It also signals that Indian educational models are gaining increasing international recognition for their ability to address complex challenges through community-driven, innovative approaches.
Key Takeaways
- The World’s Best School Prizes were established in 2022 by T4 Education, a UK-based global education organisation founded by Vikas Pota.
- The prizes are awarded across five categories: Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity, and Supporting Healthy Lives.
- A total prize fund of USD 250,000 is shared equally among the five winners, with each receiving USD 50,000.
- Seven Indian schools have been shortlisted for the 2026 edition, the highest number from any single country in a year since the awards began.
- The top three finalists and category winners will be announced in November 2026.
- Shortlisted schools and winners will attend the World Schools Summit in London in January 2027.
