India has had pathshalas, madrassas, monasteries, ashrams for centuries where the young were educated. But which were the earliest European-established schools, many English-medium?
St George's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Chennai
Established in 1715, St George's Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School began as the Military Male Orphan Asylum, later known as the Madras Male Orphan Asylum. Recognised as the oldest, European-established school in the country.
Bishop Heber Higher Secondary School, Tiruchirappalli
Tamil Nadu has another very old school that was established in 1762 by Christian Frederick Schwartz, a missionary originally from Germany.
St Johns Vestry Anglo Indian School
Also based in Tiruchirappalli and overseen by the Church of South India, it was founded around 1763. Initially a refuge for British soldiers’ children, it later evolved into a school and shifted to its current premises.
St Thomas School, Kolkata
Founded December 21, 1789 at Kidderpore, it is one of India’s oldest co-ed schools, and follows the ICSE and ISC curriculum. It is the largest school of the city too, in size.
Hooghly Collegiate School, Kolkata
Established in 1812, it holds the distinction of being the second oldest school in West Bengal. Writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, who composed Vande Mataram, went to school here.
Christ Church School, Mumbai
Mumbai's oldest school, the independent mixed-gender preparatory institution was set up in 1815 with support from the Bombay Education Society in Byculla. It's sister school is Barnes School and Junior College at Devlali.
Not a European-founded school, although begun along similar lines, it was established with the help of reformist Raja Rammohan Roy for Hindu children in 1817. Overseen by the state authorities, it holds the title of being the earliest contemporary learning centre in all of Asia.
Hare School, Kolkata
In 1818, Scottish educationist David Hare (who also established the Hindu School), founded Hare School across from Hindu College on College Street, following the creation of the Calcutta School Book Society and Hindu College in Kolkata.
St. Paul's School, Darjeeling
Located against a magnificent Himalayan backdrop, it is an independent residential institution for boys begun in 1823. Often referred to as the Eton of the East, it is recognised for upholding customs and ethos reminiscent of those at Eton College.
International French School Pondicherry
Founded in 1826, the Lycée Français International de Pondichéry has consistently aimed to deliver high-quality learning rooted in creativity and global perspective. Though initially intended for children from France, it now embraces learners from diverse origins, tongues, and traditions.