London: Two schools from India were among the top 50 shortlisted for the USD one million Global Schools Prize 2026.

While Katha Lab School in Delhi was named in the Arts and Culture category, Delhi Public School Bangalore North (DPSBN) has made it in the Inclusive Education category from around 3,000 nominations across 113 countries.

The USD one million prize, organised by UK-based Varkey Foundation, celebrates the world’s most innovative and impactful schools that are reimagining education for the future across 10 categories. “Congratulations, Katha Lab School and Delhi Public School Bangalore North; your approach to teaching and learning powerfully demonstrates how schools play a defining role in equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to shape our rapidly evolving world," said Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation.

“By highlighting your achievement, we hope to inspire a global movement to reimagine learning and turn bold ideas into real-world impact. This is more than an award – it’s a platform to spark a global conversation about scaling the best ideas in education and advancing action far beyond the classroom,” he said.

Katha Lab School in Delhi's slum cluster of Govindpuri serves hundreds of children from low-income families and has the distinction of delivering "extraordinary results".

Founded by Padma Shri awardee Geeta Dharmarajan, the school pioneered StoryPedagogy – replacing textbooks with storybooks and weaving language, science, mathematics and the arts into one joyful learning experience, the Global Schools Prize noted.

DPSBN, in the running for its inclusive measures, educates over 7,000 students rooted in the principle of "Service Before Self" and has been shortlisted for proving that “inclusion and excellence thrive together”.

The top 50 worldwide schools will now be narrowed down to 10 category winners, who will each be awarded USD 50,000, with an overall Global Schools Prize winner receiving USD 500,000 to scale its impact.

The 10 categories include AI Transformation; Arts, Culture and Creativity; Character- and Values-Driven Education; Global Citizenship and Peacebuilding; Health and Wellbeing; Overcoming Adversity; SEND/Inclusive Education; STEM Education; Sustainability; and Teacher Development.

The winners are expected to be announced at the Education World Forum in London later this month.