Manav Rachna International School, Sector 21C, Faridabad: Principal Shares Insights on Student Success and Holistic Development

Education today is no longer limited to academic excellence alone. It is about nurturing compassionate individuals, developing future-ready skills, and creating emotionally secure learning environments where every child can thrive. In an insightful interaction with Ms. Monika Kathuria, Principal of Manav Rachna International School, Sector 21C, Faridabad, we explored the school’s vision, philosophy, student-centric initiatives, and its commitment towards shaping confident global citizens.

With over 27 years of rich experience in education, Ms. Monika Kathuria brings with her a deep understanding of student development, collaborative leadership, and progressive learning practices. Her educational journey began as a teacher and gradually evolved through multiple leadership roles, including Vice Principal, before taking on the role of Principal at MRIS 21C. Her approach towards education strongly emphasizes personalized learning, emotional well-being, and building meaningful relationships within the school community.

A Vision Rooted in “Happy Hearts, Growing Minds”

At Manav Rachna International School, Sector 21C, the philosophy revolves around creating a nurturing ecosystem where every child feels heard, valued, and emotionally secure. The school is deeply rooted in values such as integrity, inclusivity, sustainability, student centricity, and excellence.

According to Ms. Kathuria, learning at MRIS 21C is personalized, purposeful, and joyful. The school recognizes that every learner possesses unique strengths, interests, and aspirations. Through well-being programmes, mindfulness practices, circle time conversations, peer collaboration, and inclusive classrooms, students develop resilience, empathy, self-awareness, and confidence.

The school’s guiding philosophy, “Happy Hearts, Growing Minds,” reflects its commitment towards ensuring that emotional wellness remains the foundation of meaningful education.

What Makes MRIS 21C Stand Out?

One of the strongest differentiators of MRIS 21C is its focus on strong teacher-student relationships and personalized learning experiences. The school believes in providing equal opportunities to every learner while ensuring students feel safe, supported, and inspired to express themselves confidently.

Leadership development begins early at MRIS 21C. Students from Grade 8 are entrusted with significant leadership roles such as President and Vice President, helping them build confidence, responsibility, teamwork, and decision-making abilities from a young age.

The school also encourages students to become socially responsible citizens through initiatives like the Karmyogi Club, where learners actively participate in community service and social outreach programmes. Another remarkable initiative is the Media Shala Programme, which enables students to create podcasts, share ideas, and strengthen their communication, creativity, and media literacy skills.

Literacy and creative expression form an integral part of the school culture. Through the RAZ Plus Reading Programme, students engage in personalized digital reading journeys that enhance fluency and comprehension. The Young Authors’ Felt Pen Programme further empowers students to write and publish their own books, some of which are later prescribed as supplementary readers in schools.

The MRIS21C Gazette serves as a vibrant platform celebrating student voices, creativity, and storytelling across all grades.

Balancing Academics with Holistic Development

At MRIS 21C, academic excellence and holistic development go hand in hand. One of the school’s key practices includes Base Group Sessions at the start of each day, where students set learning goals, reflect on strategies, and develop a positive mindset.

The teaching-learning process is highly interactive and student-driven. Workshops, debates, discussions, collaborative projects, and experiential learning opportunities are integrated into daily classroom experiences to make learning engaging and meaningful.

Simultaneously, students are encouraged to explore their interests through sports, performing arts, visual arts, literary programmes, leadership initiatives, Maker Shala, Media Shala, and portfolio-building opportunities. This balanced ecosystem helps nurture confident, creative, and well-rounded learners.

Preparing Students for the 21st-Century World

Preparing students for the future requires much more than textbook knowledge. At MRIS 21C, the focus is on developing future-ready learners equipped with creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, leadership, and social-emotional skills.

The school’s initiatives such as CAC (Creating Aware Citizens) and the AURA Programme (Arts, Understanding, Rhythm and Aesthetics) help students develop resilience, empathy, confidence, and communication abilities essential for lifelong success.

Students are also encouraged to work on Passion Projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation. These initiatives help students connect classroom learning with real-world challenges while becoming socially conscious global citizens.

Programmes like SPECTRUM, ABHIVYAKTI, ANKURAN, and FS&S provide students with opportunities to discover and nurture their unique talents and passions. Community outreach initiatives conducted in collaboration with the OP Bhalla Foundation and GSSS Bhankri further help students develop empathy, inclusion, and social responsibility through theatre, dance, and skill-based workshops.

Technology and Innovation in Learning

Technology is meaningfully integrated into the learning process at MRIS 21C to make education interactive, collaborative, and future-focused. Students actively engage with digital platforms, coding activities, robotics, Arduino-based projects, podcast creation, photography, and digital journaling.

The school also utilizes platforms such as Britannica, Adobe Photoshop, Canva, Quizizz, Wordwall, StoryWeaver, and Math Playground to enhance research, creativity, inquiry, and classroom engagement.

Ms. Kathuria strongly believes that technology is not merely an add-on but an essential educational tool that enriches the teaching-learning process. Educators at MRIS 21C thoughtfully integrate AI tools while designing lesson plans, assessments, and differentiated learning experiences to cater to diverse learning needs.

This approach ensures students become responsible digital citizens, innovative thinkers, and adaptable learners prepared for the evolving future.

Strong Parent-School Partnerships

At MRIS 21C, parents are regarded as active collaborators in a child’s educational journey. The school believes that meaningful learning happens when schools and parents work together to support children emotionally, socially, and academically.

Several parent engagement initiatives such as Brewing Bonds – Coffee Mornings, Parent Educator Conferences, workshops, Food Festivals, Breakfast with Fathers, Mothers’ Day celebrations, Grandparents’ Day events, and classroom interactions help strengthen the school-parent partnership.

Parents are also invited as guest speakers to share their professional expertise and experiences, helping students gain real-world exposure. Through annual parent surveys, PTA meetings, and participation in committees like the Safety and Security Committee and SMC, parents actively contribute towards creating a safe and nurturing learning environment.

Awards, Rankings, and Student Achievements

MRIS 21C has consistently earned recognition for excellence in academics, innovation, and holistic education.

The school received the prestigious School Excellence Award for Excellence in Creative Learning & Play-Based Curriculum by Dainik Jagran in 2026. It was also honoured with the QS I-Gauge Award for Institution of Happiness for the session 2025–26.

In the Education World India School Rankings 2024–25 and 2025–26, MRIS 21C secured Rank No. 6 in the Co-ed Day School category. The school also secured First Position in the Innovators Category in the Times School Survey 2024.

Additionally, MRIS 21C was recognized with the Global School Award for Best in Academic Excellence and the Best School Award by NOF & SOF.

The school’s students have also achieved remarkable success in sports and cultural activities. Reyansh Jain secured Third Position at the UTT 2nd National Ranking Table Tennis Championship and also earned top honours at the Haryana State & Inter-District TT Tournament. Students have won several medals in Taekwondo championships, gymnastics, and table tennis tournaments.

In arts and culture, students have brought laurels to the school through achievements at national-level competitions, including the All India Cultural Olympiad Contest organized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

The Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, Ms. Monika Kathuria envisions MRIS 21C evolving into one of the most sought-after middle schools and a future-ready learning community where every child feels happy, valued, and empowered.

The school aims to continue strengthening personalized and experiential learning, integrating agile learning spaces, interdisciplinary education, innovation-driven programmes, and global exposure opportunities. A strong emphasis will remain on nurturing empathy, inclusivity, creativity, leadership, and sustainability.

With a commitment towards meaningful relationships, student well-being, and continuous growth, MRIS 21C aspires to build a learning culture where every child feels seen, supported, and inspired to become a confident contributor to society.

A Message to Parents

Sharing a heartfelt message for parents considering admission at MRIS 21C, Ms. Kathuria emphasized that every child is unique, capable, and full of potential.

She highlighted that the school’s focus extends beyond academic excellence to creating a joyful, inclusive, and emotionally secure environment where children feel connected, respected, and inspired to grow. At MRIS 21C, mistakes are viewed as valuable learning opportunities, and students are encouraged to reflect, adapt, and build resilience.

The school’s holistic approach ensures that students not only excel academically but also develop communication skills, creativity, critical thinking, leadership abilities, empathy, and confidence necessary to succeed in the real world.

At Manav Rachna International School, Sector 21C, every child is seen, celebrated, supported, and empowered to discover their strengths, passions, and purpose — truly embodying the philosophy of “Happy Hearts and Growing Minds.”