Doon vs Mayo vs Rishi Valley vs DAIS vs Pathways: which fits your child?

1️⃣ The Doon School, Dehradun (boys, boarding)

• Entry only in Class 7 or 8, via a 4-paper test and a Headmaster interview
• ICSE/ISC, with an IB Diploma option
• About ₹13.62 lakh a year (₹15.62 lakh on IB)
• Alumni: Rajiv Gandhi, Abhinav Bindra, Amitav Ghosh
• 🔗 https://truemaths.com/schools/the-doon-school-dehradun/

2️⃣ Mayo College, Ajmer (boys, boarding)

• CBSE, with a 183-acre campus, polo and stables
• Entry from Class 4 to 9 via a November aptitude test
• About ₹11.5 lakh a year (the page lists conflicting figures, so confirm with the school)
• 🔗 https://truemaths.com/schools/mayo-college-ajmer-admission/

3️⃣ Rishi Valley, Chittoor (co-ed, boarding)

• Founded in 1926 on J. Krishnamurti’s ideas
• About 360 students, ICSE/ISC, entry at Classes 4, 6 and 7
• About ₹8.75 lakh a year, the lowest of the boarding schools
• 🔗 https://truemaths.com/schools/rishi-valley-school-chittoor/

4️⃣ DAIS, Mumbai (co-ed, day)

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• Full IB ladder, plus ICSE and IGCSE options
• Entry at LKG, Class 8 or Class 11
• ₹1.7 lakh a year in the early classes, ₹9.65 lakh for the IB Diploma
• 🔗 https://truemaths.com/schools/dhirubhai-ambani-international-school-mumbai/

5️⃣ Pathways World School, Gurugram (co-ed, day and boarding)

• IB from Pre-Nursery to Grade 12, with an 8:1 student-teacher ratio
• Rolling admissions all year
• About ₹1.6–3.4 lakh (the page doesn’t say whether that’s per quarter or per year), plus about ₹1.65 lakh for boarding
• 🔗 https://truemaths.com/schools/pathways-world-school-gurgaon/

🎯 Quick pick

• Classic boys’ boarding: Doon or Mayo
• Calm, small, co-ed: Rishi Valley
• International curriculum, day-school style: DAIS or Pathways
• Child under 11: Doon is out for now, so look at the others

📚 Doon prep resources

• Admission details: https://truemaths.com/notification-for-the-doon-school-entrance-exam/
• Sample papers: https://truemaths.com/doon-school-entrance-exam-sample-papers/
• Alumni: https://truemaths.com/famous-alumni-of-the-doon-school/
• Coaching in Dehradun: https://truemaths.com/doon-school-entrance-exam-coaching-in-dehradun/

⚠️ Fees and dates vary across sources, so verify on each school’s official site.