Sahyadri School on Tivai Hill near Pune: boarding for Classes 4 to 12, annual fee Rs 7.40 lakh

Sahyadri School stands on Tivai Hill near Rajgurunagar, about 50 km from the centre of Pune. It is run by the Krishnamurti Foundation India (KFI). Unlike an ordinary urban day school, it is a residential campus where children live and study among hills, trees and water. The address is Tivai Hill, Rajgurunagar, Khed, Pune district, Maharashtra 410513. The school is co-educational.

The school's outlook is strongly influenced by the work of philosopher and educationist J. Krishnamurti. The school says it does not promote the kind of competition that prevails in society today. It stresses freedom, observation, dialogue, nature, relationships and learning without fear. For parents, the real question is therefore not only how good the teaching is, but whether this outlook suits their child and family.

Admission begins in Class 4. The school has four sections: junior school (Classes 4 to 6), middle school (7 to 8), senior school (9 to 10) and senior secondary school (11 to 12). Pupils take the ICSE examination in Class 10 and the ISC in Class 12. According to the school, the nine-year course beginning in Class 4 is designed to prepare students for the ISC. This difference should be kept in mind when comparing it with schools that admit from nursery or junior KG.

Learning is not confined to the classroom. Children learn through discussion, projects, field visits, camps, nature study, drama, storytelling, writing, workshops, farming, crafts and interaction with rural communities. The school's "Beyond Academics" programme includes arts, music, dance, tinkering, farming, excursions and engagement with rural communities. The clubs listed are maths, theatre, astronomy, physics, adventure, nature, book testing, Money Matters, language, film, philosophy, Writers' Bloc and sketching. Maths, science, art, literature, language, farm and fusion fests are also held.

Facilities listed include laboratories, computers, audio-visual equipment, a library and a tinkering shed. However, no recent information was found to establish AI, coding or robotics as formal courses across the school. Parents should also confirm directly with the school the ratio of counselling staff, medical staff, special education and residential supervision, and recent ICSE/ISC results. There is a Money Matters club, but it cannot be said that a formal course in financial literacy is run.

The fee figures are for new students (boarders resident in India) for 2026-27. The application form costs Rs 1,000, registration fee Rs 5,000 and admission fee Rs 10,000. The annual school fee for Classes 4 to 10 is Rs 7,40,000 (Rs 7.40 lakh), while for Class 11 it is Rs 7,70,000 (Rs 7.70 lakh). This covers both boarding and tuition. A boarder's personal account is Rs 50,000, and the refundable caution deposit is 60 per cent of the annual school fee. After admission is offered, the admission fee and annual school fee must be paid, and the caution deposit and personal account at the start of the session. Fees change every year, so this figure should not be assumed for later admissions.

According to the school's current admissions page, admissions for 2026-27 are closed. Parents who register interest for the future will be contacted for early admissions for 2027-28. The school's general information says forms for all classes are available from October 1, interviews are usually held in January and February, and the last date for applications is December 15. Parents should confirm the 2027-28 calendar directly with the school, as the schedule may change.

Since this is a residential school, the biggest question is whether the child is ready to live away from home. How often the child can go home, the weekend routine, how homesickness is handled, the rules on phones and how often teachers speak to parents matter as much as the fee and the board.