GitaRam Higher Secondary’s mission is to develop exceptional students and prepare them to serve a meritocratic India as ethical, wise and just citizens. We believe that leadership skills can be taught and capacity can be developed. In preparing our students to enter a fast changing, complex and ambiguous world, we take every opportunity to use experiences inside and outside the classroom to explore the complicated business of gaining trust through authentic action, collaborating to bring about growth in social capital and influencing others. There are traditional systems in place which embody these ideals and there are targeted workshops, activities and immersive experiences that we design and give to the students as they move through the school on their journey.

1. The School Council:
The democratic heart of the school sits monthly to discuss, advise and develop the school. The School Council comprises students in their capacity as House Reps, Prefect Rep, Captain of School, Students Reps and Junior Reps. They are joined by their teachers and other school staff including a House Rep, Admin Staff Rep, Teacher Rep, Deans, Deputy and Assistant Heads of School and the Headmaster.
While the Headmaster chairs the meetings the secretary who records and effectively runs the meetings is a student elected by the council.
Changes to routines, policy and practice are raised through the floor and discussed before a consensus is reached or some action decided upon. Decisions like changing the structure of the school’s weekly schedule are made through the council.

2. The Prefectorial System and School Captain:
The Prefects are the senior role models and influencers in the school who, in tune with the student elected School Captain, are responsible for creating a constructive, dynamic and positive environment and culture. We are no longer living in Tom Brown’s School Days where malevolent seniors ruin the lives of juniors by exercising power and punishments; prefects work hard to guide, inspire and help the Housemasters run their houses.
Our prefectorial body goes through a training programme that starts before they are selected. Anyone interested in taking on this responsibility participates in a workshop that is designed to help them reflect on their own suitability for the job. Once they have been selected the Prefects, Housemasters and the Headmaster participate in a school led seminar on leadership that helps prepare them for the year ahead.

3. Other parts of the programme include:
Good team members and leaders must exhibit good soft skills. Age-appropriate workshops are conducted regularly on topics such as Anger Management, Gender Sensitivity, Dining Etiquette, Blame and Excuses, Communication Skills – Voice Modulation and Impact of Body Language, Responsible Use of Social Media, etc. The Armed Forces are an epitome of leadership under pressure. Boys are provided an opportunity to experience this by visits to the Indian Military Academy and Air Force stations. We are fortunate to be visited by some senior Old Students who have had distinguished and decorated careers in the Armed Forces who share their learning.