City Montessori School

Dr. Jagdish Gandhi and his wife Dr. Bharti Gandhi founded the City Montessori School with just 5 students and a borrowed capital of just Rs 300 or US$5 (approx) in rented premises in 1959. He started off by selling newspapers and a short film regarding the same has also been taped. Currently CMS has 21 separate branch campuses spread across the city.[5] In 2002 CMS was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.[6] The school has also received the 'Hope of Humanity' Award from the spiritual leader, Dalai Lama.[7]

The campuses of the school are spread all over the city of Lucknow. The campuses include:[8]

Model United Nations,[9] the CMSMUN, is organised at the school.

Children of the school have appealed to the world judiciary at International Conference of the Chief Justices of the World.[10]

Various campuses conduct International events annually, like the IYMC, ITMO, Reflections, etc.

In 2013, CMS became a center in Uttar Pradesh for the Scholastic Aptitude Test popularly known as SAT, the major test required for admission in US universities SAT.[11]

In 2015, CMS refused admission to 31 students of economically weaker section of the society under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act on the grounds that they were ineligible according to the state's own RTE rules. The school's rationale for not admitting the children were that either they were below 6 years of age (definition of child as per RTE act is a person aged between 6–14 years) or they resided beyond 1 km radius of CMS or they had other private schools nearer to their residence than CMS.[12] Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey sat on a hunger strike against CMS and other private school's refusal to admit children of economically weaker backgrounds. A meeting was arranged between the city administration, Sandeep Pandey and the school management but the issue remain unsolved reportedly due to either side's refusal to budge from their stand. CMS challenged the DM's order in the Allahabad High Court.[13] Following an interim order by the Supreme Court on school's appeal, CMS admitted 13 children who were found eligible by the apex court.[14][15]

The activities of the school have made impact during testing times, like in 1992, when the Babri Masjid was demolished and religious riots had cost hundreds of lives.[16] The school also initiated an Indo-Pak children's pen friend's project to promote friendship between children of India and Pakistan.[17][18]

Following the beheading of Indian army soldier, Lance Naik Hemraj by the Pakistani forces in 2013, and Indian Army responding aggressively to the incident in 2014,[19] tensions were once again high between India & Pakistan. So a Pakistani school's participation in a Cricket tournament conducted by CMS was cancelled.[20]

For the session 2017–18, school management increased the children's fees by 12%.[21] In 2013, it increased its fees for all classes by 10% and for Nursery and Kindergarten classes by up to 16% in comparison to previous year's fee.[22] The school's reputation was challenged when one of its teachers was blamed for slapping a child hard.[23] Reportedly, a student of class 10 at the school's Mahanagar branch committed suicide in 2011, after his principal Nalini Sharad, allegedly, threatened to shame him before the whole school. After the student's suicide, upon his parents insistence, the court took cognizance, rejecting the police enquiry and ordered in 2013 that a case should be registered against Sharad. Nalini Sharad was relieved of her services as Principal of CMS in 2013 when she retired. The matter is sub-judice since then.[24]

The school uniform, including socks and belt were changed by the school management after 33 years. On receiving complaints by guardians who reported that the uniform was being sold at higher prices than the fixed price, the school established a helpline for parents to check the prices.[25] Students have also performed yoga at the United Nations in New York to mark International Day of Yoga on 21 June 2017.[26] Children's films are showcased at the International Children's Film Festival.[27][28] An international music concert was organised at City Montessori School on 20 April with musicians from 17 countries and 11 states of India ABRSM.[29][30] There are a number of students from the school who have managed to secure distinction in recent CISCE Examinations.[31]

• Jitesh Singh Deo – Model
• Celina Jaitly – Actress

• Official website
• Website of City Montessori School (CMS) founder Dr. Jagdish Gandhi