A parent who recently returned to the United States after spending four years in India has sparked widespread discussion online after sharing a detailed account of what they described as a deeply negative experience at an expensive international school in Bengaluru. In an anonymous Reddit post, the parent alleged that their children faced excessive academic pressure, bullying, rote-based learning, religious bias and an overall toxic school environment during their time at the institution.
The post, shared as a cautionary account for families considering relocating to India with school-age children, urged prospective parents not to rely solely on a school’s marketing material or university placement record, but instead to speak directly with families whose children are already enrolled.
According to the parent, their elder child completed high school at the Bengaluru-based IGCSE and IB school, while their younger child studied there from Grades 4 to 7.
The parent said their children spoke very little about their experiences while they were in India but began opening up only after the family had returned to the United States.
“The one thing which was easily obvious was the immense stress,” the parent wrote.
Allegations Of Rote Learning And Constant Academic Pressure
The parent alleged that despite the school’s claim of following the International Baccalaureate (IB) and IGCSE curriculum, classroom teaching relied heavily on memorisation rather than conceptual understanding or project-based learning.
“The curriculum, even for a school which claimed to implement IB/be based on IGCSE, relied a lot on information to be memorised than on projects or true understanding, esp in science,” the Reddit post stated.
According to the parent, children were expected to remain constantly on top of every lesson, with parents having to closely monitor academic progress, particularly if their children were not naturally organised.
The parent acknowledged that the school’s strong university placement record had initially attracted the family and said it ultimately helped their elder daughter secure admission to a prestigious university in the United States along with a substantial scholarship.
However, they argued that the emphasis on college admissions came at the cost of student well-being.
‘Harsh And Toxic’ School Environment
Despite the academic outcomes, the parent alleged that the overall atmosphere inside the school was “harsh and toxic” and lacked respect for students.
“My younger one experienced bullying which was glossed over by the teachers because the students who were the bullies belonged to influential families with contacts,” the parent claimed.
The Reddit user also alleged that they felt unable to formally raise concerns with the school administration because teacher recommendations played an important role in university admissions.
“I could not complain to the principal if my children faced issues as my elder one said that their college admission depended on teacher recommendations,” the post stated.
Allegations Of Religious Bias
The parent further alleged that although the school’s trustees were non-Christian and the institution was perceived as secular, Christian religious practices were regularly conducted.
Initially, the parent claimed there were Bible readings in the school. However, after users questioned the claim, the post was edited to clarify that the concern related to Christian-style prayers rather than Bible readings during assembly.
“There was a general attitude of we-know-best or disrespect. For example, the school’s trustees are non-Christian, but the principals were Christian. There would be regular Bible readings in this school, which was extremely disrespectful, as parents sent their children to this school, thinking it was secular,” the parent originally wrote.
In the edited clarification, the parent stated, “It was not Bible readings during assembly time, it was Christian-style prayers.”
The parent further claimed that their children felt Christianity was emphasised more strongly at the Bengaluru school than they had experienced while living in the United States.
“In fact my children said that Christianity was pushed much more on them in India than they have experienced in the USA,” the Reddit post alleged.
Focus On Elite University Admissions
The parent also criticised the school’s university counselling process, alleging that counsellors strongly encouraged students to apply to elite private universities abroad while discouraging more affordable public institutions.
According to the post, when the parent expressed a preference for a good in-state university because of lower tuition costs, the admissions counsellor appeared surprised.
“These counsellors force kids to apply to expensive, top private univs, as that acts like a marketing tool for the school to attract new parents,” the parent alleged.
Advice To Parents
Despite the criticism, the parent acknowledged that the school also had “very good and caring teachers” and said their elder child had formed lasting friendships with Indian classmates.
Nevertheless, they urged parents considering international schools in India to look beyond glossy brochures and university admission statistics.
“So my suggestion if u r planning to move to India would be, to speak with parents in the school u r planning to send ur child to. Don’t just prioritise good college admissions, but also prioritise a healthy environment,” the parent concluded.
The identity of the school has not been disclosed, and the claims made in the Reddit post have not been independently verified. The school has not publicly responded to the allegations.
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