Army Public School(New Delhi H.O.), New Delhi Review
The School
Army Public School is located at Dhaula Kuan in South Delhi. The school is administered by the Indian Army and the school caters mainly to students from the Army background or from the families that are serving in the Indian Army. The school was established mainly to meet the demands of quality education by the officials serving in the army who are transfered from one place to another throughout their tenure in the army. Although, the school gives preference to students from the Army background, Army Public School also accepts students who are from a civilian background. However, there is a difference between the fee structure between the both the categories. The fees also differ for students according to their parents rank in the service. The school is affiliated to the Central Board of Senior Secondary Education (CBSE).
History
Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan was established in year 1953 as Maulana Azad Road Children's School to meet the demands of quality education at reasonable costs to Army personnel children. The residents of the Maulana Azad Officers Hostel initiated the movement to impart education to children as in a public school. The school strives to inculcate a sense of discipline in life as it is in the Army which is the main reason behind its great reputation and honour. Though, Army Public School(APS) was started with just 21 pupils and two teachers in May 1953, the school now has more than 4,500 students. The school was extended to eighth standard in July 1959 which two years later was upgraded to senior secondary. The school was given its present name in 1976.
Infra-Structure
The school is spread over an area of about 32.5 acres. It has all the facilities for the students to grow and develop into healthy and responsible human beings. It has a good reputation for academics and is one of the most popular schools in New Delhi. There are seven basketball courts that provide for students in all the classes and wings. The school also has a football field and a hockey field which is also used as a cricket ground. The two volleyball courts also feature in the school adjoining the hockey field. A huge auditorium available for dramatics and indoor games form one of the most distinct building of the Army Public School.
The buildings in Army Public School have been divided into four distinct academic wings.
Main Block (Secondary Wing - class VI to X)
This Block has classes from classes VI to X and also contains the administrative block like the school secretarys office, principals office and the school bursars office.
Malhotra Block (Senior Secondary Wing - class XI and XII)
This Block has all the classes of XI and XII in all the streams available. There are 10 sections in both the classes with 6 science sections, 3 commerce sections and 1 humanities section.
Primary Wing (Class I to V)
This Wing has the junior classes and lies in one of the corners of the school. The school also has a childrens amusement park in the Primary Wing.
Activity Wing
The Wing caters to the students from all the blocks and wings and harbours a Computer Laboratory, Music Room, Medical Room, a Bank(Central Bank of India,) a Book Shop and a Uniform Shop.
Raina Auditorium
The auditorium forms a centre for recreation, stage shows, various contests like extempore, debates and singing competitions and venue for school functions.
Ridgewood Hostel
The school also has a hostel for boys within the school premises. Although, the hostel lies in the school compound it comes under the direct administration of the Indian Army. The school does not maintain any connection(administration) with the hostel. The boys in the hostel enjoy all the facilities needed to make it a home away from home. The hostel has a volleyball court and the hostellers have the privilege to enjoy all the facilities available in the school. There is also a gymnasium and a TV room in the hostel. There are about 100 boys in the hostel. There is no hostel for girls.
Academics
Army Public School follows a five day working week. One of the noticeable attributes of the school is that be it summer or winter the school starts at 07.30 hrs and ends at 13.30 hrs. The academic performance of the students is adjudged on the basis regular tests and examinations. There are Unit Tests a student has to appear in before the half-yearly exams and one after the half-yearly exams.
The students of the school are divided into four groups that are called houses: Ashoka, Pratap, Nehru and Shivaji. All the competitions are held as inter-house competitions. From indoor games, debates and dramatics to outdoor sports, all are played as inter-house competitions.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Army Public School has an excellent reputation in extra-curricular activities. Some of the major events held by the school annually are enumerated below.
APS Fest
Also called the TAPS FEST is an inter-school event organised every year where students from different schools of Delhi participate and compete in various events like computer related activities, debates, dance, drama, music and fine arts.
National Inter-Army Quiz and Debate
National Inter-Army Quiz competition, conducted by quiz masters, is organized in the school and all the Army Schools are invited to test their general knowledge and public speaking skills.
Bal Diwas
Bal Diwas is a recreational day for the children in the Primary Wing.
Sports
Army Public School has created a niche for itself in the field of sports. We can see one or two students making it to the Delhis Team in basketball or football almost every year. The school emerges as the Zonal Champion every year in Delhi.
Alumni
The school boasts of one of the best footballers of India and the only Indian to ever play in a North American Soccer League, Sunil Chettri. Neha Dhupia, the beauty queen has also studied in this school. The once best actress, Manisha Koirala too is a alumnus of Army Public School. The most popular Indian writer in the English Language, Chetan Bhagat, who has created a niche for himself in the literary world with his 4 novels is also a part of the APS alumni.
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