Bishop Cotton Schools-Bangalore's Famous Schools

Educational institutions are a dime a dozen in Bangalore city. But among the very best for the children of the upper middle class and the rich are the International schools and several famous schools such as Baldwins, Sophia's, St. Joseph's, Cluny Convent, and more run by Christian Managements. Prominent among these is the Bishop Cotton Schools,separate for Boys and Girls, run by the Karnataka Central Diocese that belongs to the CSI or the Church Of South India, the Bishop being the Chairman and the Principals heading the institutions.

Rev. S.T. Pettigrew, the chaplain of St. Marks Cathedral, started this school in 1865 as a coed institution and later the girls were given a separate school. It was named after Bishop Cotton of Calcutta. The school was intended to educate the children of European and Anglo Indian community. Today, although primarily meant for Christian students, they also accept children from other faiths. The Boys school is located on Residency Road and the Girls school on St. Marks Road. Both are close to the St. Marks Cathedral, where boarders attend Sunday service and Sunday School.

Admissions to these prestigious schools is difficult because of the many students wanting to get in and the limited number of seats. The schools follow the ICSE syllabus and students are exposed to a wide variety of learning, including sports, games, music, art, cultural activities, digital literacy and many more. The overall development of the children is catered to in these schools and that includes spiritual development. Attending chapel services is a must. Boarding facilities are provided to students from outside the city and that is a boon to those who come from abroad.

School timings are between 8:30 AM and 3:20 PM, Monday to Friday.

Famous personalities have passed through the Bishop Cotton portals and several have made a name for themselves in various fields at home in Bangalore and abroad. Prominent among the Old Girls is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, the Founder and CEO of BIOCON, and among the Old Boys, Nandan Nilekhani, the ex-CEO of INFOSYS, and Dr. Raja Ramanna, an eminent scientist and former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission.