School preferences of middle-class Indians: a sociological analysis of the decision-making process

This paper explores the school choice decisions of middle-class parents in Lucknow City, India. The study highlights the indices that appeal to middle-class sensibilities in their pursuit of choosing the best schooling option for their children. The study unearths the influence of informal social networks on school choice decisions. Additionally, the relationship that the parents share with the school and their expectations from the school are discussed. The paper reveals how middle-class parents, by virtue of having a congruence of values and desires, form a privatist community in order to maximize the educational gains for their children. The findings are analyzed through the lens of rational choice and Bourdieusian theories. The study is qualitative in nature, and the primary methods for data collection were observation and interviews. As part of the study's data-gathering procedure, a total of 20 parents were interviewed. A semi-structured interview schedule was prepared for the study, and questions were open-ended.