Known as "the Eton of the East", Mayo College in Ajmer is one of India's oldest and grandest boarding schools. Founded in 1875 and set across roughly 180 acres of Rajasthan, it is also among the country's most expensive — with first-year costs reaching approximately ₹21.51 lakh. This guide covers fees, address, website, curriculum and infrastructure in detail.
Introduction to the School
Mayo College is an all-boys residential school located in Ajmer, Rajasthan, teaching Classes VI to XII. Founded in 1875 and named after Lord Mayo, it was established to educate the sons of India's princely families and is affiliated to the CBSE.
The school's Indo-Saracenic main building — built in white marble — is among the most recognisable school buildings in India, and the institution retains many of the traditions established in its first decades. A separate Mayo College Girls' School operates in Ajmer, with fees around ₹6.5 lakh, serving girls with a comparable ethos.
Fees Structure
Mayo College sits among India's most expensive schools:
- Annual fee: approximately ₹11,52,000 per year
- Total first-year cost: approximately ₹21,51,000, including annual fee, admission fee, caution money and other components
- Mayo College Girls' School: approximately ₹6,50,000 annually
- Included: tuition, full boarding, meals and residential care
- Additional: uniforms, trips, personal expenses and activity charges
The substantial gap between the annual fee and the first-year total reflects one-time admission and caution-money components. Confirm the full multi-year breakdown with the school before applying.
Address & Website
Address: Mayo College, Srinagar Road, Ajmer, Rajasthan – 305001
Website: mayocollege.com
Ajmer is roughly 135 km from Jaipur, the nearest major airport, and is well connected by rail across northern India.
Infrastructure & Campus
Mayo's campus is among the most extensive of any Indian school:
- Approximately 180 acres (74 hectares) of campus in Ajmer
- 38 classrooms used for instruction, reported in good condition
- Residential houses with three separate mess facilities serving different student groups
- 575 computers supporting teaching and learning across the school
- Gymnasium and extensive sports infrastructure — cricket, hockey, polo, riding, athletics, swimming and squash
- Iconic Indo-Saracenic main building in white marble, among India's finest school buildings
- Library, museum and archives reflecting 150 years of institutional history
The equestrian and polo facilities are particularly distinctive — few schools anywhere maintain programmes of this kind, and they remain part of Mayo's identity.
Why It Is Considered the Best
Mayo's CBSE results are consistently solid, and graduates progress to leading Indian universities and institutions abroad. But as with Doon and Scindia, the academic record is only part of the proposition.
What Mayo offers is formation within one of India's most storied institutions: 150 years of tradition, a house system that develops leadership, a sporting culture including polo and riding that exists almost nowhere else, and an alumni network spanning royalty, business, the armed forces, politics and the arts. For families seeking that specific kind of elite residential education, Mayo is one of a very small number of options.
Admissions Snapshot
Entry is principally at Class VI, with limited later-stage places, through a competitive written examination and interview. Registration typically opens well ahead of the academic year and demand is national. The process assesses academic ability, interests and readiness for full-time boarding. Families should register early via the official website and prepare boys for both examination and interview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mayo College co-educational? No — Mayo College is an all-boys boarding school. Mayo College Girls' School is a separate institution in Ajmer with its own admissions and lower fees of around ₹6.5 lakh.
Why is the first-year cost nearly double the annual fee? One-time admission fees and caution money are loaded into year one; subsequent years sit closer to the ₹11.52 lakh annual figure.
How does it compare with Scindia and Doon? All three are elite boys' boarding schools at similar fee levels. Doon offers IB and IGCSE options; Scindia has the fort campus; Mayo has the largest grounds and the equestrian and polo tradition.
Final Thoughts
Mayo College offers 150 years of elite boarding tradition on a 180-acre Rajasthan campus, with facilities — including polo and riding — that virtually no other Indian school maintains. Its fees place it firmly among India's most expensive, but for families seeking this particular kind of formation it remains one of the country's defining institutions.
Compare the full ranking: see where this school sits in our Best Schools in India by City guide — covering the top 10 schools in nine cities across India.