It starts with love.
Every parent wants the best for their child. In Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bangalore — everywhere — this desire now wears a new uniform: international schools, foreign boards, and global campuses.
It looks impressive.
The fees are 10x higher. The walls are glass. The prospectus talks about empathy, innovation, and 21st-century skills.
And it promises something we all want:
“Your child will be ready for the world.”
But here’s the quiet truth: that promise may cost you ₹50–55 lakhs and still not take your child anywhere.
A lesson from IIT
Ask any recruiter, investor, or entrepreneur in India: “Who are the sharpest people you meet?” The answer often includes: “IITians.”
Why? Not because they wrote a personal reflection essay at 16. But because they cracked a system that rewards:
- Discipline
- Problem-solving
- Grit
They took the CBSE route. Paid a few lakhs for coaching. Built raw skill. And later, when needed, they polished their communication, leadership, and vision during MBA or career.
They didn’t need imported education. They just needed purpose.
But we’re being sold emotions.
In every top city, families are enrolling in IB and Cambridge programs not because they plan to send their child abroad — but because they feel they should. Because other parents are doing it. Because it feels… safer?
And schools? Some do it brilliantly. But many just bolt on a new curriculum and slap on a foreign label.
You get flashy brochures and buzzwords. But do you get mentorship? Rigor? Results? Sometimes yes. Often, no.
Many international schools are not what they claim.
Yes, a few international schools do deliver excellence: experienced IB-certified teachers, personalized guidance, and strong placement records. These are worth the investment if your goal is truly aligned with international higher education.
But most others use the brand without the backbone.
Ask this before you pay ₹50L:
- Are the teachers IB-certified, or just renamed CBSE staff?
- Are Extended Essays and TOK truly guided?
- What universities did their last batch actually get into?
- How many students get into the world’s top 100 universities?
- Do students lead? Create? Debate? Or just perform?
- Could your child build all those skills… for 1/5 the cost?
What the data says:
According to official IBDP result records, only a fraction of students from mid-tier IB schools in India secure admission to top global universities. Meanwhile, thousands of CBSE + coaching students routinely crack JEE, NEET, and top Indian merit-based institutions.
Companies — whether McKinsey, Microsoft, Sequoia Capital, or Goldman Sachs — hire based on:
- Proven intellectual ability
- Track record of achievement
- Grit + depth in thinking
- Degrees from institutes with brand and rigor
And in India — that means: IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, ISB, DU, Ashoka, IISc. Not where you did high school, but what you did after.
An IITian with solid communication skills built over time will often outrun an average IBDP student from a mid-tier school.
Real-world outcomes still reward proven competence — not just curriculum labels.
And don’t forget the child.
It’s not just about cost and outcomes. It’s also about well-being. Does the school support your child’s mental health, extracurricular passions, and self-confidence? A great CBSE or IB school can. A poor one won’t — no matter the board.
You don’t need a Swiss or UK curriculum to raise a world-class thinker. You need a path. A plan. And the courage to ignore the crowd.
Be bold. Not blinded.