Roopa read English at Panjab University, graduating as a Gold Medallist, and went on to take a B.Ed. and an MA in English from the same university. She has been teaching ever since — beginning in 1979 at Delhi Public School, East of Kailash, and continuing through classrooms in Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata.

She joined The Shri Ram School, Moulsari, in 2002, and from 2008 to 2025 led its Department of English. As Head of Department she recruited, interviewed, and mentored the teaching team, designed the ISC and IB Diploma curriculum for Classes 6 to 12, and selected every prescribed text and supplementary reading. Under her leadership the department recorded 100% results in ISC English and the IBDP across a decade, and produced the school's first ever 7 in English A1 Literature. She harmonised curriculum and reading lists across the school's campuses, wrote its Language Policy, and published the school magazine.

Alongside the classroom, she has spent much of her career on the other side of the examination process. For sixteen years she served as Chief Examiner, ISC (All India), leading twenty-five team leaders across the country and overseeing paper-setting and marking standards for one of India's largest cohorts of scripts — and for four of those years she was also Chief Examiner for Elective English. She has been an IB examiner since 2016, moderating Internal Assessment for English A Literature at Higher Level for candidates across the world.

Apart from teaching, she has reviewed students' college essays and Statements of Purpose, helping them articulate their strengths, experiences, and aspirations as they prepare for higher education. In addition, she has written Letters of Recommendation for Grade 12 ISC and IB DP students, developing a deep expertise in crafting compelling, personalised narratives. She has also led workshops for fellow teachers on writing effective recommendations, mentoring and refining colleagues' letters.

Teaching philosophy

Good English teaching isn't about memorising the "right" answer — it's about learning to think clearly and express that thinking with confidence. Every session is built on three ideas:

How it works

Every student is different, and cookie-cutter tutoring doesn't cut it. Sessions begin with a thorough assessment of where the student stands, followed by a tailored plan that blends exam preparation with genuine comprehension and a love for the subject.

• Primarily 1-on-1; small groups where students are in the same class and working towards the same goals
• One-hour sessions, typically two to three times a week
• Online or in-person (Gurugram), aligned to your board — ICSE / ISC, IGCSE, IB, or CBSE
• Chapter-by-chapter teaching plus focused technique for the literature and language papers
• Exam practice as boards approach — including oral preparation
• Resources and progress reports throughout, with parent updates on request

What we cover

Whether it's prose, poetry, drama, or language skills — every dimension of the English curriculum is addressed with depth and clarity.

• ICSE / ISC: Both literature and language, taught chapter by chapter with the proper techniques
• IGCSE: Language and literature support
• IB: Literature, oral work, and the Paper 1, Paper 2, and Extended Essay components
• CBSE: Literature and language, with focused preparation for the board papers
• Creative writing: Developed across all curricula

Why this matters

Teaching English across international curricula in India comes with unique challenges — from navigating assessment frameworks that change frequently, to engaging students who are often more comfortable in other languages. These workshops are designed by someone who's been in the trenches.

Most teacher training explains the syllabus. This training explains the marking. Sixteen years as Chief Examiner, ISC (All India), and ongoing work as an IB examiner, means workshops here go past the published assessment criteria into how they are actually applied — the distinctions that separate a five from a six, the common misreadings of a rubric, and how to build assessment tasks your students' scripts will actually be rewarded for.

Roopa has run numerous workshops in English for ICSE and ISC teachers, covering both literature and language. Programmes are customised to your school's needs. Common themes include:

• ISC Literature: Helping teachers better understand how to approach prescribed texts, poetry, and drama with engagement and rigour
• ISC Language: Helping teachers build student writing skills and teach the language paper effectively
• Letters of Recommendation: Guiding teachers in writing compelling, personalised recommendations for Grade 12 students — a subject she has trained and mentored colleagues in for years
• Assessment & paper technique: Preparing teachers for what literature and language papers actually demand
• Differentiated instruction: Helping teachers reach every learner in a mixed-ability English classroom

Who this is for

• ICSE / ISC schools and their English departments
• English departments looking to strengthen teaching quality and exam outcomes
• Teachers seeking professional growth and curriculum confidence

The approach

Writing an SOP isn't about using fancy words — it's about finding the truest, most compelling version of your story and presenting it in a way that resonates with admissions committees. The process is collaborative, structured, and always centred on your authentic voice.

• Discovery call: A conversation to understand what you want to study and why, and how to begin telling that story
• Strategy & structure: Mapping the narrative arc that connects your profile to your aspirations
• Drafting: As many drafts as necessary — you write, Roopa guides, your voice stays yours
• Review rounds: Enough review stages to sharpen what's there and identify what needs improvement
• Final polishing: Proofreading and a last check before submission

What's included

• Statements of Purpose for undergraduate and Masters programmes
• Personal statements and supplementary essays
• Letter of recommendation guidance — what to ask for and from whom
• Universities across the UK, US, Europe, Australia, and Singapore