Be Scindian, Be Indian!

IN A nation that is rapidly veering towards the West and its cultural mores, there is an oasis of tradition that grooms young men to be future winners, future leaders and future luminaries. Where as the purpose of every institution is to inculcate assertiveness, and the `killer-instinct' there is one that advocates humility, gentility and charm.

Nothing epitomises the cultural tradition of The Scindia School as well as the sight of 600 young gentlemen between the ages of 11 and 17 making their way to a red amphitheatre dominated by a larger-than-lifesize statue of a purposeful Mahatma, striding to a known goal. The time: sundown; the place, a promontory on the historic Gwalior fort overlooking a sleepy town in Madhya Pradesh. Once there, the hubbub of youthful voices stills as the soothing strains of a sarod played by an already famous Amaan Ali Khan an alumnus of the institution, fill the air. Soon thereafter a short uplifting talk is delivered by the guest of the day and the young men settle down to lose themselves in quiet introspection and evaluate the day just past. This is the `Asthachal' a tradition followed since the school was established in 1897. Today over a century later, boys continue the ritual with fervour and dedication.

This among other things is what makes The Scindia School an enduring bulwark in the minds of the justly famous and respected alumni of the school. Originally started as an institution for the education of the scions of royal houses of the region, it was reorganised into a public school in the tradition of Harrow and Eton, the difference being the cultural ethos. Founded by the Maharaja Madhavrao Jeevajirao Scindia, it has progressed from strength to strength over the decades producing Kings, Ambassadors, Generals and captains of Industry all of whom have brought luminescence to the institution. The environment is idyllic, situated on the fort of Gwalior, three hundred feet above the city. Nestled in a verdant belt of greenery, with astounding wildlife, the school is spread over 110 acres of landscaped grounds. The buildings are reminiscent of British military architecture and stand, dignified, blending into the sylvan setting echoing with the plaintive cries of peacocks in the settling dusk. As Percival Spear, the historian, said so aptly, " `tis truly a gem in the necklace of the palaces of Hind!"

Academia

The school year begins in mid-July and closes for the winter break in December when children return to their parents for a month. In between, there is a break in the academic schedule when students go away for educational trips to destinations in India and abroad. The seniors are permitted to indulge their aptitude for mountaineering and adventure in the Himalayas. The January term ends in April. Students are admitted into class VI after a common entrance test held in the last Saturday of February. Admission is also possible in VII and VIIIth class. The prevailing system is the All-India Senior Secondary Examination, run under the aegis of the Central Board of Secondary Education. Recently, the courses of study offered by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, have also become available, so students can opt for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE `O' level) and the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE `A' level), which will qualify them for the British Universities like Oxford and Cambridge. Similar to other institutions of this type there are periodic tests both at the section level as well as at the class level.

High life

Students take part in inter-school competitions like debating, drama, all the sports and are also deeply involved in rural development. They are affiliated to the Round Square International Conference which brings together students of many institutions worldwide to work together for the upliftment of the under-privileged. The school has extensive grounds and play fields including a world-class equitation department that produces some of the finest horse riders in the country. Students also are expected to take active part in one or more hobbies like wood- or metal working, drama, electronics, motor mechanics, writing and producing the school magazine, trekking and computer programming. Being the first school in the country to have a computer centre, even today, over twenty years later, the department bristles with state-of-the-art Pentium and Athlon systems as well as Apple systems so that the students can adapt to any environment on graduation. Societies inculcate an interest in the students in diverse subjects be it geography, history, political science, economics, music or debating and elocution. The school band is easily one of the best in the country and has taken part in several Republic Day parades in the national capital.

Living in

The students are housed in thirteen independent halls of residence called `houses'. Each house accommodates an average of 55 boys in several dormitories. The house system inculcates in students a feeling of belonging and familial togetherness. Bonds made in this atmosphere, last a lifetime and friendships forged pass the test of endurance. Boys of each house stay, study and play together and the `house-spirit' is inspiring. They are taken care of by a senior member of the staff, a housemaster, whose pastoral care of his charges is unrivalled, except by another housemaster. Young men will get dirty, but they are provided with state-of-the-art bathrooms energised by solar power to emerge, cleansed of all the detritus of the day. The food is a constant craving for the young active male, and at the Scindia School, the menu is planned with a view to meet the nutritional and the bulk needs of their students. Once housed at one end of the campus, the central dining hall is today rather more centrally located and is the envy of many like institutions. For those in-between pangs, the school cafeteria provides students with snacks and popular beverages. The tuck-shop is a source for all the other needs of the boys. There is a clothing and a bookstore, which look after the more mundane requirements!

Getting in

The common entrance test is attempted after registration, and the payment of the Rs.1000 exam fee entitles aspirants to two attempts. As reasonable to expect, the rules in the school are strict. Students who cannot meet the grade for promotion after two attempts are withdrawn. Those who cross the age of 18 are permitted to sit for their examinations only as an external candidate. The one-time registration fee is about Rs.6250/- and the annual fee that includes boarding, tuition and lodging is Rs.140000/-, modest for the facilities provided. Considering that some day schools in the larger cities charge similar fees for only tuition, the fee is indeed not exorbitant. Having one of the best Internet websites in the world, it is not surprising that the registration form is downloadable from their site free of charge. Reserving a space would be a good idea!

In sickness as in health

The school is a healthy place but despite that, the institution has one of the best infirmaries of its kind. With a resident doctor, nurses and ward boys, every malady is swiftly dealt with in hygienic and peaceful surroundings.

All festivals are celebrated with piety and fervour, no matter what the denomination of the function. Thereby a healthy respect for different faiths is ingrained. Holidays in term-time are rare, since the students have one month in winter and nearly three months in summer. Sundays are slightly less intensive, since the boys do not have to attend classes (unless specially arranged for remedial purposes) so it's a time for reading, play and relaxation. No wonder that the cafeteria is, on Sundays the place to find most of the students! Nevertheless on occasions, the students are encouraged to attend social functions under supervision, with neighbouring schools.

The staff of authority

The school has one of the most qualified staffs in the country, with doctorates preponderating. All others are postgraduate trained, and they are themselves luminaries in the field, extending many other, less fortunate, institutions their expertise when needed. Staff are hired not only for their subject specialisation, but for their ability to enter into the activities of the young men, so it is not surprising that the staff team plays several games with professional institutions, and takes on the responsibility to put on an entertainment programme for the students in their care. They need to be multi- tasking, able to turn their hand to several activities within a space of a 27-hour day!

The biggest lesson? Humility. The valuable addition; knowledge. But it is not enough that by itself this would suffice. What is transferred in Scindia is the wisdom to use the knowledge! As we leave, at the dawn of a new day, we see the whole school on the main field, working out, in concerted unison, their daily physical training routine. Through the huge fortress gates, thirty feet high, we wend our way down the very steep incline, looking with awe at the sixty-foot high monoliths of Jain thirtankaras, serene in their majesty, standing guard over this final bastion of secondary education in the country. We wonder, which graduate from this institution can fail to excel in all he does in his and his country's future?

ABHIMANYU ACHARYA

abhimanyu.hyd@cnkonline.com