From the Montessori classroom at age 3 to the research centre publishing original science — every institution in this ecosystem is part of a single unbroken journey.
ELC is a Montessori school in the fullest sense. From Playgroup through Grade 3, children learn in a prepared environment — self-directed work, no grades, no comparison. The teacher is a guide. The child is the learner.
At Grade 4, the Cambridge framework is introduced gently — academic structure without losing the joy of inquiry. Nature Studies, STEAM projects, and a third language join the day.
ELC brings the community into the classroom: classical musicians, scientists, mathematicians, environmentalists, doctors, and farmers work alongside children — not as occasional speakers, but as regular presences. Field trips happen every month without exception.
The full school — from foundational learning in Grades 1–6 through Cambridge IGCSE in Grades 7–10. The IGCSE rewards understanding over memorisation — exactly the preparation needed for deep competitive exam performance.
What sets this phase apart is what surrounds the curriculum: Math Circles, the Ramanujan Mathematics Contest, hands-on experiments, and national Olympiads — plus scientists from the Research Centre who teach alongside faculty.
When a 13-year-old sits with a working scientist puzzling over real data, something shifts permanently. Science becomes a vocation, not a subject. This is what we mean by research-integrated education.
CFAL is the STEM identity of the Trust — where students who have learned to think deeply prove it nationally. JEE, NEET, and KCET preparation is built into the academic calendar from Grade 7, not bolted on at Grade 11.
Students who have done Math Circles since Grade 7 don't need coaching to understand calculus. They already do. The competitive exam results are the natural outcome of conceptual depth built across years.
2026: 18 students above JEE 99th percentile. NSE National Top 1% in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Astronomy. Two students shortlisted for the Indian National Astronomy Olympiad.
The Research Centre is embedded in the school campus so its work touches students every day. Scientists don't give occasional talks — they work here, and students work alongside them.
Nam Mara — Mysuru Tree Census: 95,000+ trees across 65 wards with the Bherunda Foundation.
Amara Initiative: 11,000+ native trees planted in Mangaluru. Target: 30% green cover by 2040.
Open to all: Independent researchers in any discipline — access our library, publish through the Centre, mentor students.
Every significant tree in Mangaluru — documented by ward, species, age, heritage status, and zodiac sign in Indian tradition. Built on citizen science. Free public access forever.
Inspired by the Trees of New York. A parent brings their child to see the oldest Peepal in their ward. A student tracks a tree's phenology over months for a research paper. A citizen discovers that the tree outside their home is 200 years old.
Built on the same methodology as the Nam Mara Mysuru Tree Census — 95,000+ trees verified across 65 wards. Schools, RWAs, and individuals contribute. The Research Centre verifies and publishes. No degree required. Only curiosity.
The most important educational conversations in Mangaluru were happening informally — over tea, between a scientist and a teacher, a mathematician and a parent. We built TLC Café to give those conversations a permanent address.
Every Thursday evening — one question, open table, ALL ARE WELCOME. No registration. No particular expertise. A mathematician, a biologist, a poet, and a parent walk in. This is not the beginning of a joke. This is Tuesday morning at TLC Café.
Recent Thursday questions:
TLC Café is also a specialty coffee roastery — single-origin beans from across India, roasted on campus. Minimal intervention, maximum quality.
The most important lever in education is the teacher. We are building a training programme rooted in Montessori pedagogy, cognitive science, and STEM education — for educators who want to think differently about what teaching is.
As a student, a parent, a teacher, a researcher, a heritage guide, a citizen scientist, or a café regular. Find your way in.
admissions@tlc.edu.in · research@tlc.edu.in · +91 6360238816
