Saint Mary’s school

On 15th June 2018, Saint Mary’s School Chotila opened its doors with eleven students on its rolls - a modest beginning at Village Nava, Than Road, Chotila in Surendranagar district of Gujarat, on a campus whose land was acquired and prepared by Fr. Jose Mangalam CMI, with Fr. Joby Thomas CMI appointed as its first Principal. Established by the Nav Vidhan Charitable Trust (Reg. No. 2705) of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) congregation under the Rajkot St. Xavier’s Province, the school is a Catholic Christian minority co-educational institution affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education. The school’s motto - शीलं सर्वत्र वै धनम् meaning “Character is Wealth at All Times” - is drawn from India’s ancient educational tradition and is visually embedded in the school crest, where an open book, light, mountains pointing toward Chotila Mataji, seven stars representing the patroness St. Mary, and two dancing children together form the school’s identity.

Saint Mary’s School is affiliated with CBSE, New Delhi and admitted its first batch under Gujarat state education board permission granted on 30th May 2019. The school currently serves students from the Nursery level upward, with official permission progressively obtained for each class since 2019. The academic programme aims to develop students as critical thinkers with strong verbal and written communication skills, ethical behaviour, and social responsibility - a framework Principal Fr. Joby Thomas CMI has articulated as the school’s core approach to what education should produce in every student. The school’s traditions - rooted in CMI congregation values - weave faith formation alongside CBSE academics as an integrated part of campus life.

Saint Mary’s School Chotila’s campus facilities include a Library housing over 2,500 books, newspapers, and periodicals, a Multipurpose Hall for stage programmes and seminars, dedicated rooms for Art, Dance, Music, and Drama, and a playground supporting Cricket, Football, and Badminton - alongside Karate and Skating as structured co-curricular disciplines, making it one of the few schools in Chotila with such a diverse sporting and performing arts offering. Guidance and Counselling services are available on campus, and a school transport facility covers Chotila and surrounding villages, giving families from the region convenient access to a CBSE Catholic minority school in this part of Surendranagar district.

Admissions to Saint Mary’s School Chotila are currently open, with the school prospectus available on the Notice Board section of the official website at stmarychotila.org. Parents can contact the school at +91 95867 76003 or write to stmaryschotila@gmail.com for admission enquiries, fee structure details, and campus visit appointments. The school is located at Village Nava, Than Road, Chotila, District Surendranagar, Gujarat.