The school took its first baby steps on the March 3, 1997. It was then run by the Apostolic Carmel Congregation of Sisters. The Apostolic Carmel Congregation founded in 1868 by Mother Veronica in France, was established in India at Mangalore in India in 1870.

In just over seven years, the school has taken long strides and has made a name for itself. Since then, it has fulfilled its purpose of existence by educating children in various schools run by the body.

Carmel Junior College is a Christian school under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Jamshedpur. A plot of land was obtained from the Tata Iron and Steel Company through Bal Vihar and the school constructed its building on the allotted land.

In keeping with the guidelines laid down by the congregation, Carmel Junior College emphasises on character building and believes in imparting value-based education.

The institution also strives to instill a sense of confidence and encourages a healthy competition among its students. The school believes that in each student is a seed of a great leader.

A co-educational school affiliated to the Indian Council of Secondary Education (ICSE) Board, Carmel Junior has at present classes up to Class VIII. Though equal number of girls and boys are admitted in the kindergarten classes, only girls are taken in at higher classes. Those coming from other Carmel schools are exempted from an entrance test. The school has come a long way from the time it opened its doors for tots and kindergarten students.

More activities

• Extra-curricular go hand in hand in this school, which has as many as 14 coaches to train children in games such as chess, archery, volleyball, basketball, handball, football and kho-kho.

Besides, there are numerous clubs for their infotainment. The clubs include ? Eco Club, the Scouts and Guides, Bulbul and the Cubs, which enjoy a year-long calendar of activities.

Carmel conducts activity classes in the first 45 minutes of school time. This is the time for the students to practise the game they love ad enjoy.

Those with an interest in performing arts or music may well enroll themselves in the guitar, tabla and dance classes in the school. For the bookworms, there is a treasure trove of books. For the other club activities, members meet on Saturdays for four hours from 8 am.

Team work

• The well-maintained school building approximately houses 70 rooms. Each class is divided into three or four sections. The school has 65 teachers and another seven office staff. The dedicated team of teachers puts sincere efforts to take the school to higher levels and the results are evident in the brilliant performance level of students.

Lab laws

•There are two computer laboratories in the school besides the regular physics, chemistry and biology ones. The school will also start a commence and mathematics lab soon to help students overcome the maths phobia right at the primary level.

Testing time

• Tests are held thrice a year besides the monthly tests conducted throughout the academic session. Teachers believe that tests give children a fair idea of their performance. Marks are only awarded once they reach Class IV.

?It?s a wrong concept that marks increase pressure on students, instead they get to know where they stand,? says Sister Flavian, the school principal.

School’s pride

• Students are the strength of the school. Their hard work and sincerity coupled with the efforts put in by teachers have helped the school scale greater heights today.

At Carmel Junior College, teachers try to take care of every aspect of a child?s growth.

The principal believes that every student is unique and the onus is on the school to train them according to their interests. ?However the vast exposure that they today have an access to is affecting them adversely,? feels the principal.

Speak out

• Public speaking is given importance in the school, besides the regular subjects. Students are either given extracts or poems which they have to recite in public-speaking classes held for an hour on weekdays. Children are marked on this subject and it even affects their rank in the terminal examinations.

?Our objective is to make our students confident speakers. Speaking in front of their friends and teachers, it?s easier to overcome their shyness,? says principal.

The congregation also runs a Hindi-medium school for the under privileged children. About 500 students from kindergarten to Std V attend the afternoon school. They pay Rs 10 as monthly fees and are taught by a different set of 12 teachers.