Netarhat Residential School
Encyclopedia
Netarhat
Residential School (हिन्दी: नेतरहाट आवासीय विद्यालय) is a school in Netarhat, India. The school
has a record of producing toppers of the Bihar School Examination Board year after year.http://biharboard.bih.nic.in/Toppers.htm. After the creation of the state of Jharkhand
in the year 2000, it comes under the purview of Jharkhand Board.The students of this school have also dominated the Regional Mathematics Olympiad and NTSE (National Talent Search Examination) conducted by NCERT. Students participate in inter-house and inter-set competitions and inter-school competitions.
of India
for the people of state of Bihar
.It was dream of the first chief minister of Bihar
, Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha
to establish centre of excellence,where young talented minds can be polished to shape future of country irrespective of their economic conditions, caste
and creed
. Educationist Mr. F. G. Pearce,Mr. Jagadish Chandra Mathur and Dr. Sachidanand Sinha had played a vital role in chalking out the plan for the Netarhat Residential School (or Netarhat Vidyalaya). Mr. Pearce had also received kudos from Dr. Rajendra Prasad, then the President of India
for his works. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=WmZfr6ERN64C&pg=PA132&lpg=PA132&dq=f+g+pearce+netarhat&source=web&ots=_41hcybrNw&sig=yrkaXL9olpQVj3ADZAyGgrOToDc&hl=en#PPA132,M1
Some notable alumni
is situated far away from the busy life of town, on the plateau of Chhotanagpur
, in the state of Jharkhand
(undivided Bihar
) in India
. The whole atmosphere is based on Guru Kul - away from home, staying in Ashrams, simple and country made dress based on the Gandhian philosophy. The school has produced citizens who are following the motto
of school Atta Dipa Viharatha - be thy own light. Great emphasis is laid on the all-round development (sarvangeen vikas) of the students. The brought up is such that discipline
is self-induced rather than being enforced by the school authorities.
The guiding philosophy
can be summarized by the following shloka
in Sanskrit
etched at the entrance of the main building of the school.
ना त्वहम् कामये राज्यम् ना स्वर्गम् ना पुनर्भवम् |
कामये दुःखतप्ताणाम् प्राणीणामार्त्ति नाशनाम् ||
(Oh Lord, I desire not kingdom nor the heavens nor even moksha. All I desire is to remove the suffering from the afflicted beings.)
वन्दे! वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट सदा,
वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट।
धन्य महाप्रांगण यह विंध्य प्रकृति क्रीड़ा का;
वन मे वनपशुओं का विचरण स्वच्छन्द यहाँ;
विहगों से कंठ मिला गाते नवगान सदा,
वन्दे! वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट सदा।
उषा के साथ जगें,प्रतिदिन मंगलमय हो;
कार्य पूर्ण प्रतिपल हो,ज्ञान वृद्धि जनहित हो;
अंतरतर का मधुमय गाये संगीत सदा,
वन्दे! वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट सदा।
(23°28'48"N 84°16'11"E) is located at an elevation of 1250 meters and is renowned for spectacular sunrises, sunsets, waterfalls, and beautiful flora and fauna. The nearest major railway station and airport is Ranchi
, which is at a distance of 156 kilometers. There are buses for Netarhat
from Ranchi
and Palamau.
Tourists from all over India
and abroad visit Netarhat
, whose name means Nature's Heart. However, some argue that the place got its name from 'Netur Haat' (which means a marketplace for bamboo in the local language). Apart from bamboo, the pine and sakhua trees add to the flora. The waterfalls Upper Ghaghri, Lower Ghaghri, Tahir, Boodhha Ghaagh and the Koel river are nearby.
(since inception it was run by the government of Bihar
until the separation of state) is given on the basis of three stages of examination: descriptive and multiple-choice written tests, psychological tests and personal interview. Boys between 10 to 12 years of age who are domiciles of the state can apply for admission on a prescribed form through Sub-divisional Education Officers.As many as 20000+ students used to vie for a bare 100 seats (60 till the year 1982) just before the separation of the state of Bihar
.There are a certain number of seats reserved for the students belonging to the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other classes as defined by the state government.
Students are provided education up to 10+2 level. The medium of instruction is Hindi
/English
and the curriculum is based on the standards set by Jharkhand School Examination Board and the Jharkhand Intermediate Education Council. For the students of first three years ( Class VII to IX) the school has developed its own curriculum with provision for compulsory training in Music, Fine Arts, Agriculture and Crafts. Computer studies have been introduced to the school.
All the teachers who are Gazetted Government servants have been entrusted different academic and administrative control. The Principal is overall controlling officer and is vested with drawing and disbursing power.
Teachers come from all over the country whose appointments are made on the recommendations of the state public service commission. Some of them have also gone abroad for teaching and studies under sponsored programmes. A few teachers
of the past and present have also been awarded by the President of India.http://pib.nic.in/archieve/image/2005/r2005090509.doc. Press Information Bureau, Government of India
There are instructors for P.T, crafts and some of the science subjects.
Shri Charles James Nepier was the first principal of the school.
Principals till date:
- Army, Air and Naval. There are four Scout troops for junior boys and they can also opt for the Red Cross Society. Training in yoga
and gymnastics
is also imparted to the boys and girls. Athletics and cross-country
competitions are held regularly besides sports tournaments.
The school is well equipped with facilities for playing games like football, hockey
, volleyball
, tennis
, basketball
, cricket
, badminton
, table tennis
, kho kho
, kabaddi
, carrom
and chess
. Annual tournaments are held for most of these games and students also participate in inter-school tournaments.
The school has facilities for hobbies like wood-work, metal-work, aeromodelling, claymodelling, gardening, photography, painting and rifle training. Dramas in Hindi
and English
, debates, elocution
and antyakshri competitions are held. Some students participated in the six week long camp held on the plateau by National School of Drama
. The picturesque locale has also attracted the directors of movies including the Hindi movie Hip Hip Hurray
.
Educational tours are organised by the school. The school has a printing press where the school magazine Sarjana is printed and thus the students get an opportunity to learn the basics of journalism
and printing.
Societies of students have been formed to prepare for events such as Independence Day
, Republic Day
, Annual Day, Gandhi Jayanti
, Tulsi Jayanti, Saraswati Puja etc.
The school lags behind in the infrastructure required for computer education.
Seniors are addressed with ji suffixed to their names which is common way of showing respect in India
among the Hindi
speaking population. This tradition continues even after the students pass out of the school.
The Ashram chores are done by the inmates by rotation including sweeping the rooms, washing utensils, cleaning toilets, serving food etc. The boarders follow a routine with provisions for swadhyaya(self-study), rest, P.T., games and sports, daily chores, television, group activities etc. A senior student is appointed as a prefect
for the Ashram
, as well as a couple of other senior prefects.
The barbers, cobblers, tailors and washermen are available on campus and the cost is borne by the school itself. There is a sick-room with a full-time medical officer.
The students are not allowed to sport any clothes or accessories other than those provided by the school to ensure uniformity.
Hostels are grouped into seven sets or ashram - wargas for purpose of administration and promoting healthy competition.
is an abode of a variety of flora and fauna thanks to its supportive climate and copious rain. Pine martins, porcupines, leopards, monkeys, bears, civets, monitor lizards, wild pigs, scorpions, snakes and other species are found in and around Netarhat. Occasional spotting of elephants and tigers is also reported as Netarhat forest is very close to the Betla Tiger Sanctuary.
Some endangered species of Indian snakes can be found here, including pythons. Netarhat School's biology laboratory has a collection of live and preserved snake varieties that include cobras, pit vipers, tree snakes and pythons.
Apart from the bamboo clusters the place got its name from, tropical trees like mango, sal, neem, gulmohar, amaltas, mahua, etc. can be found here and even trees of cold climate like pine, silver fur, bottle brush, thuja are found. "Chilgoza" or the pine nut is type of an aromatic and nutritious dry fruit and is very popular amongst students. Apart from the natural trees and forests, the school has its own fruit orchard where pear, plum, guava, fig, peach, etc. are grown in plenty. Netarhat School has a flower garden that includes over 100 specious of common and exotic flowers.
Netarhat School is surrounded by villages and the locals find good employment opportunities in serving the school. There are over dozen communities, each with their customs and festivals. Students can often hear in the night distant drumming sounds of tribal dance and rituals and on festivals like Sarhul and Pooja the fair organized by the locals provides a break for the students from their academic sessions.
Netarhat plateau, also referred to as the Queen of Chotanagpur is studded by landmarks and tourist spots. Koel view, Magnolia sunset point, Lodh waterfalls, Lower Ghagari waterfall - to name a few. There are picnic spots in and around Netarhat School and group of students under supervision of their respective house masters(ashramadhyaksha) traditionally go to spend a weekend once in a year during the "mid-term break". Some of the most popular spots are Banari on the banks of the Koel river, Upper Gahgari waterfall near Netarhat dam, Tahir, Naina, Aadhe, and Raja Dera.
and hence the students do not feel confident enough while communicating in English
, which has become important in the modern world. It is an all-boys school and students do not get enough chance to interact with many people. Some feel that these become drawbacks when they pass out of the school.
Some also feel that the students become pliant as they are not encouraged to question their seniors and teachers. Teenager boys made to do the chores like mopping the floor, cleaning common toilets and doing the dishes have also faced criticism, especially when there is lack of basic amenities like running water, 24-hour electricity, water heating equipments and healthcare.
The connectivity to the school from the other parts of Bihar
and Jharkhand
is not considered up to the mark. People have also questioned the rationale of the state government spending such a huge amount on a select few students when the state exchequer is already under pressure to fund primary education. The wider criticism of caste-based reservation also holds good for reservation in the selection of the students and teachers for the school. Very few students opt to continue their studies in the school at 10+2 levels for want of quality teachers and proper guidance.
Netarhat
Netarhat is a town in Latehar district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.Referred to as the “Queen of Chotanagpur”, it is a popular hill station. -Geography:Netarhat is located at , at a height of ....
Residential School (हिन्दी: नेतरहाट आवासीय विद्यालय) is a school in Netarhat, India. The school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
has a record of producing toppers of the Bihar School Examination Board year after year.http://biharboard.bih.nic.in/Toppers.htm. After the creation of the state of Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
in the year 2000, it comes under the purview of Jharkhand Board.The students of this school have also dominated the Regional Mathematics Olympiad and NTSE (National Talent Search Examination) conducted by NCERT. Students participate in inter-house and inter-set competitions and inter-school competitions.
History
Netarhat Residential School was established on 15 November 1954, after the independenceIndependence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for the people of state of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
.It was dream of the first chief minister of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha
Sri Krishna Sinha
Sri Krishna Sinha , known as Bihar Kesari, was the first Chief Minister of the Indian state of Bihar . Along with the nationalists Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Sinha is regarded among the Architects of Modern Bihar...
to establish centre of excellence,where young talented minds can be polished to shape future of country irrespective of their economic conditions, caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
and creed
Creed
A creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
. Educationist Mr. F. G. Pearce,Mr. Jagadish Chandra Mathur and Dr. Sachidanand Sinha had played a vital role in chalking out the plan for the Netarhat Residential School (or Netarhat Vidyalaya). Mr. Pearce had also received kudos from Dr. Rajendra Prasad, then the President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
for his works. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=WmZfr6ERN64C&pg=PA132&lpg=PA132&dq=f+g+pearce+netarhat&source=web&ots=_41hcybrNw&sig=yrkaXL9olpQVj3ADZAyGgrOToDc&hl=en#PPA132,M1
Alumni
The alumni association is known as NOBA - Netarhat Old boys Association. There are chapters of NOBA and the members meet regularly.Some notable alumni
| Name | Designation |
|---|---|
| Dr. Vashistha Narayan Singh | Notable former mathematician, Faculty member ISI Kolkata Indian Statistical Institute Indian Statistical Institute is a public research institute and university in Kolkata's northern outskirt of Baranagar, India founded by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in 1931... , UC Berkley, IIT Kanpur, TIFR |
| Mr. Trinath Mishra | Director, Central Bureau of Investigation Central Bureau of Investigation The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941... (Retired) |
| Mr. Pratyush Sinha | Central Vigilance Commission Central Vigilance Commission Central Vigilance Commission is an apex Indian governmental body created in 1964 to address governmental corruption. It has the status of an autonomous body, free of control from any executive authority, charged with monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India, and... er (Retired) |
| Mr. Paras Chowdhary | Managing Director, Ceat Ltd. CEAT Limited CEAT Limited is a tyre manufacturing company based in Mumbai, India. CEAT is an abbreviation for Cavi Electrici Affini Torino... |
| Mr. Anand Sinha | Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India Reserve Bank of India The Reserve Bank of India is the central banking institution of India and controls the monetary policy of the rupee as well as US$300.21 billion of currency reserves. The institution was established on 1 April 1935 during the British Raj in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of... |
| Mr. Raj Ballabh Singh | Worked at High Commission of India, Islamabad |
| Mr. Subodh Narayan Jha | Recipient of Raksha Mantri Award for Innovation 2006;Retired Director, (Midhani,Ministry of Defense Undertaking.) |
Ambience
The schoolSchool
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
is situated far away from the busy life of town, on the plateau of Chhotanagpur
Chhotanagpur
Chhotanagpur is an area including the tribal areas of Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and West Bengal states in India. Many residents of the area identify with the name even though there is no political recognition of the area. A local dialect of Hindi called Nagpuri is common in the area....
, in the state of Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
(undivided Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
) in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The whole atmosphere is based on Guru Kul - away from home, staying in Ashrams, simple and country made dress based on the Gandhian philosophy. The school has produced citizens who are following the motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of school Atta Dipa Viharatha - be thy own light. Great emphasis is laid on the all-round development (sarvangeen vikas) of the students. The brought up is such that discipline
Discipline
In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...
is self-induced rather than being enforced by the school authorities.
The guiding philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
can be summarized by the following shloka
Shloka
A ' is a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anuṣṭubh. It is the basis for Indian Epic verse, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry. The Mahabharata and Ramayana, for...
in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
etched at the entrance of the main building of the school.
ना त्वहम् कामये राज्यम् ना स्वर्गम् ना पुनर्भवम् |
कामये दुःखतप्ताणाम् प्राणीणामार्त्ति नाशनाम् ||
(Oh Lord, I desire not kingdom nor the heavens nor even moksha. All I desire is to remove the suffering from the afflicted beings.)
The School Song
The school song (vidyalaya gaan) of Netarhat schoolवन्दे! वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट सदा,
वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट।
धन्य महाप्रांगण यह विंध्य प्रकृति क्रीड़ा का;
वन मे वनपशुओं का विचरण स्वच्छन्द यहाँ;
विहगों से कंठ मिला गाते नवगान सदा,
वन्दे! वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट सदा।
उषा के साथ जगें,प्रतिदिन मंगलमय हो;
कार्य पूर्ण प्रतिपल हो,ज्ञान वृद्धि जनहित हो;
अंतरतर का मधुमय गाये संगीत सदा,
वन्दे! वन्दे हे सुन्दर मम सखा नेतरहाट सदा।
Location
NetarhatNetarhat
Netarhat is a town in Latehar district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.Referred to as the “Queen of Chotanagpur”, it is a popular hill station. -Geography:Netarhat is located at , at a height of ....
(23°28'48"N 84°16'11"E) is located at an elevation of 1250 meters and is renowned for spectacular sunrises, sunsets, waterfalls, and beautiful flora and fauna. The nearest major railway station and airport is Ranchi
Ranchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
, which is at a distance of 156 kilometers. There are buses for Netarhat
Netarhat
Netarhat is a town in Latehar district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.Referred to as the “Queen of Chotanagpur”, it is a popular hill station. -Geography:Netarhat is located at , at a height of ....
from Ranchi
Ranchi
-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
and Palamau.
Tourists from all over India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and abroad visit Netarhat
Netarhat
Netarhat is a town in Latehar district in the Indian state of Jharkhand.Referred to as the “Queen of Chotanagpur”, it is a popular hill station. -Geography:Netarhat is located at , at a height of ....
, whose name means Nature's Heart. However, some argue that the place got its name from 'Netur Haat' (which means a marketplace for bamboo in the local language). Apart from bamboo, the pine and sakhua trees add to the flora. The waterfalls Upper Ghaghri, Lower Ghaghri, Tahir, Boodhha Ghaagh and the Koel river are nearby.
Admission and curricula
Admission to the School, which is run by the government of JharkhandJharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
(since inception it was run by the government of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
until the separation of state) is given on the basis of three stages of examination: descriptive and multiple-choice written tests, psychological tests and personal interview. Boys between 10 to 12 years of age who are domiciles of the state can apply for admission on a prescribed form through Sub-divisional Education Officers.As many as 20000+ students used to vie for a bare 100 seats (60 till the year 1982) just before the separation of the state of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
.There are a certain number of seats reserved for the students belonging to the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other classes as defined by the state government.
Students are provided education up to 10+2 level. The medium of instruction is Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
/English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and the curriculum is based on the standards set by Jharkhand School Examination Board and the Jharkhand Intermediate Education Council. For the students of first three years ( Class VII to IX) the school has developed its own curriculum with provision for compulsory training in Music, Fine Arts, Agriculture and Crafts. Computer studies have been introduced to the school.
Administration and staff
The school has been placed under the control of the Secretary, Education Department to help the school administration function properly and smoothly, the Human Resource Development Department, Govt. of Bihar / Govt. of Jharkhand through its notification constituted an Executive Committee, headed by the Divisional Commissioner as its Chairman. The Principal is the Secretary of the Executive Committee. As it is purely a Government Institution, its entire administrative system is governed and controlled by the Government rules and regulations.All the teachers who are Gazetted Government servants have been entrusted different academic and administrative control. The Principal is overall controlling officer and is vested with drawing and disbursing power.
Teachers come from all over the country whose appointments are made on the recommendations of the state public service commission. Some of them have also gone abroad for teaching and studies under sponsored programmes. A few teachers
of the past and present have also been awarded by the President of India.http://pib.nic.in/archieve/image/2005/r2005090509.doc. Press Information Bureau, Government of India
There are instructors for P.T, crafts and some of the science subjects.
Shri Charles James Nepier was the first principal of the school.
Principals till date:
| Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Mr. Charles James Nepier | Apr 1954 | Aug 1955 |
| Mr. Radha Sinha | Sep 1955 | Mar 1956 |
| Mr. Jeevannath Dar | Apr 1956 | Dec 1966 |
| Mr. Birendra Kumar Sinha | Jan 1967 | Feb 1976 |
| Dr. Ramdev Tripathi | Feb 1976 | Feb 1979 |
| Mr. Kailash Narayan Mehrotra | Jun 1979 | Oct 1980 |
| Mr. Mithilesh Kanti | Oct 1980 | Sep 1983 |
| Mr. Dwarika Prasad Sinha | Sep 1983 | Apr 1986 |
| Mr. Satya Narayan Singh | Nov 1986 | Apr 1988 |
| Mr. Mangal Dev Pandey | Aug 1988 | Apr 1990 |
| Dr. Param Mitra Sashtri | Apr 1990 | Sep 1991 |
| Mr. K.N.Vasudevan | Aug 1991 | Sep 1995 |
| Mr. Kamleshwar Prasad | Oct 1995 | Sep 2000 |
| Mr. Narendra Prasad | Sep 2000 | Aug 2003 |
| Mr. Binod Kumar Karn | Sep 2003 | Jan 2010 |
| Mr. Ramakant Gajanan Marathe | Feb 2010 | Nov 2010 |
| Mr. Ram Naresh Singh | Dec 2010 | Date |
Co-curricular Activities
Games, sports and physical training form a part of the routine at the Netarhat School. The school has senior division Naval wing besides the three junior divisions of N.C.C.National Cadet Corps (India)National Cadet Corps (India)
The National Cadet Corps is the Indian military cadet corps with its Headquarters at New Delhi. It is open to school and college students on voluntary basis....
- Army, Air and Naval. There are four Scout troops for junior boys and they can also opt for the Red Cross Society. Training in yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
and gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
is also imparted to the boys and girls. Athletics and cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
competitions are held regularly besides sports tournaments.
The school is well equipped with facilities for playing games like football, hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
, kho kho
Kho Kho
Kho Kho is an Indian and Pakistani sport played by teams of twelve players who try to avoid being touched by members of the opposing team, only 9 players of the team enter the field...
, kabaddi
Kabaddi
Kabaddi is a South Asian team sport...
, carrom
Carrom
Carrom is a family of tabletop games with gameplay that lies somewhere between billiards and table shuffleboard. Carrom is known by many names around the world, including carrum, couronne, carum, karam, karom, karum, fatta and finger billiards...
and chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
. Annual tournaments are held for most of these games and students also participate in inter-school tournaments.
The school has facilities for hobbies like wood-work, metal-work, aeromodelling, claymodelling, gardening, photography, painting and rifle training. Dramas in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, debates, elocution
Elocution
Elocution is the study of formal speaking in pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone.-History:In Western classical rhetoric, elocution was one of the five core disciplines of pronunciation, which was the art of delivering speeches. Orators were trained not only on proper diction, but on the proper...
and antyakshri competitions are held. Some students participated in the six week long camp held on the plateau by National School of Drama
National School of Drama
National School of Drama is a theatre training institute situated at New Delhi, India, established . It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and became an independent school in 1975...
. The picturesque locale has also attracted the directors of movies including the Hindi movie Hip Hip Hurray
Hip Hip Hurray
Hip Hip Hurray was one of the popular Hindi television series that first aired on Zee TV channel in 1998, and after its success of the first season, the series began its second sequel in 2001-Plot:...
.
Educational tours are organised by the school. The school has a printing press where the school magazine Sarjana is printed and thus the students get an opportunity to learn the basics of journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and printing.
Societies of students have been formed to prepare for events such as Independence Day
Independence Day (India)
The Independence Day of India is celebrated on the fifteenth of August to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in...
, Republic Day
Republic Day (India)
The Republic Day of India commemorates the date on which the Constitution of India came into force replacing the Government of India Act 1935 as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950....
, Annual Day, Gandhi Jayanti
Gandhi Jayanti
Gandhi Jayanti is a National Holiday celebrated in India to mark the occasion of the birthday of Mohandas Gandhi, the "Father of the Nation." He was born on October 2, 1869. Hence Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated every year on the 2nd of October. It is one of the three official declared National...
, Tulsi Jayanti, Saraswati Puja etc.
Library and laboratories
The school has a well stocked library consisting of more than forty thousand books. The open shelf system enables students to have access to the books of their choice. Almost all important dailies, weeklies and magazines including some foreign journals are available in the library.The school lags behind in the infrastructure required for computer education.
Fees
Fees are charged according to the income of the guardians. Poor but meritorious students are imparted free education. Clothes, books and other necessary stuff are also provided by the school. Food and lodging are subsidised for every student.Hostels
All the students live in hostels which are called Ashrams. Every Ashram is headed by an Ashramadhyaksha or housemaster who is a teacher. All the teachers are addressed as Shriman ji. The housemasters and their wives, who are reverentially called Mataji (Mother), live in the Ashrams and have their meals with the boarders. Meals are prepared under the supervision of Mataji.Seniors are addressed with ji suffixed to their names which is common way of showing respect in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
among the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
speaking population. This tradition continues even after the students pass out of the school.
The Ashram chores are done by the inmates by rotation including sweeping the rooms, washing utensils, cleaning toilets, serving food etc. The boarders follow a routine with provisions for swadhyaya(self-study), rest, P.T., games and sports, daily chores, television, group activities etc. A senior student is appointed as a prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
for the Ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
, as well as a couple of other senior prefects.
The barbers, cobblers, tailors and washermen are available on campus and the cost is borne by the school itself. There is a sick-room with a full-time medical officer.
The students are not allowed to sport any clothes or accessories other than those provided by the school to ensure uniformity.
Hostels are grouped into seven sets or ashram - wargas for purpose of administration and promoting healthy competition.
| Set (Ashramvarga) | Houses (Ashrams) |
|---|---|
| 1st Set | Arun, Shanti, Gautam |
| 2nd Set | Anand, Prem, Arjun |
| 3rd Set | Ashok, Kishore, Saket |
| 4th Set | Nalanda, Vikram, Taxila |
| 5th Set | Bhabha, Raman, Bose |
| 6th Set | Arvind, Ramkrishna, Pradeep |
| 7th Set | Kanva, Kapil, Kanad |
Surroundings
Netarhat plateauPlateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
is an abode of a variety of flora and fauna thanks to its supportive climate and copious rain. Pine martins, porcupines, leopards, monkeys, bears, civets, monitor lizards, wild pigs, scorpions, snakes and other species are found in and around Netarhat. Occasional spotting of elephants and tigers is also reported as Netarhat forest is very close to the Betla Tiger Sanctuary.
Some endangered species of Indian snakes can be found here, including pythons. Netarhat School's biology laboratory has a collection of live and preserved snake varieties that include cobras, pit vipers, tree snakes and pythons.
Apart from the bamboo clusters the place got its name from, tropical trees like mango, sal, neem, gulmohar, amaltas, mahua, etc. can be found here and even trees of cold climate like pine, silver fur, bottle brush, thuja are found. "Chilgoza" or the pine nut is type of an aromatic and nutritious dry fruit and is very popular amongst students. Apart from the natural trees and forests, the school has its own fruit orchard where pear, plum, guava, fig, peach, etc. are grown in plenty. Netarhat School has a flower garden that includes over 100 specious of common and exotic flowers.
Netarhat School is surrounded by villages and the locals find good employment opportunities in serving the school. There are over dozen communities, each with their customs and festivals. Students can often hear in the night distant drumming sounds of tribal dance and rituals and on festivals like Sarhul and Pooja the fair organized by the locals provides a break for the students from their academic sessions.
Netarhat plateau, also referred to as the Queen of Chotanagpur is studded by landmarks and tourist spots. Koel view, Magnolia sunset point, Lodh waterfalls, Lower Ghagari waterfall - to name a few. There are picnic spots in and around Netarhat School and group of students under supervision of their respective house masters(ashramadhyaksha) traditionally go to spend a weekend once in a year during the "mid-term break". Some of the most popular spots are Banari on the banks of the Koel river, Upper Gahgari waterfall near Netarhat dam, Tahir, Naina, Aadhe, and Raja Dera.
Criticism
The medium of instruction is HindiHindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and hence the students do not feel confident enough while communicating in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, which has become important in the modern world. It is an all-boys school and students do not get enough chance to interact with many people. Some feel that these become drawbacks when they pass out of the school.
Some also feel that the students become pliant as they are not encouraged to question their seniors and teachers. Teenager boys made to do the chores like mopping the floor, cleaning common toilets and doing the dishes have also faced criticism, especially when there is lack of basic amenities like running water, 24-hour electricity, water heating equipments and healthcare.
The connectivity to the school from the other parts of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
is not considered up to the mark. People have also questioned the rationale of the state government spending such a huge amount on a select few students when the state exchequer is already under pressure to fund primary education. The wider criticism of caste-based reservation also holds good for reservation in the selection of the students and teachers for the school. Very few students opt to continue their studies in the school at 10+2 levels for want of quality teachers and proper guidance.
External links
- Official website
- Blog dedicated to Netarhat school
- Netarhat Old boys Association website
- List of Toppers from Netarhat School in Bihar Secondary School Examination
- President Dr. Rajendra Prasad writes about Netarhat School to Mr. F. G. Pearce
- Netarhat School completes 50 years: A report in the Times of India
- Netarhat School toppers: The Telegraph
- Netarhat: Tourism information