Social service has been an integral part of The Doon School since its inception. The first Headmaster, Mr. Arthur Foot believed that “the boys should leave Doon School as members of an aristocracy, but it must be an aristocracy of service inspired by ideas of unselfishness, not one of privilege, wealth or position.” For decades since then, this has been one of the foundation principles of the school. This was long before the Indian Council for School Education (ICSE Board) structured Socially Useful Productive Work (S.U.P.W) as an ancillary, but mandatory part of its curriculum.

Over the years the Doon School has accumulated an enviable record of service. The Dosco’s have always lent their helping hand, across India, to people affected by the worst hit earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides and floods. For instance, during the 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake, when all communication lines were down, the school’s HAM radio club joined hands with the state administration and aid-providers to set up channels of communication with the base station.

All boys of the school have to complete mandatory hours of social service. The school runs a Panchayat Ghar where the students teach the underprivileged children. The School has, over the years, adopted villages and worked with the villagers in the construction of houses, community centres and school buildings; sanitation systems; energy efficiency systems; self-employment and small scale irrigation systems. Apart from village development, the school is actively involved with the Raphael Ryder Cheshire International Centre and the Cheshire Home. The School has also taken an active plunge in the slum school project in collaboration with the Gyanoday Trust, where students and teachers of the school.

The Doon School is one of the regional spearheads of the Round Square Group of Schools and regularly participates and hosts international service projects. The IAYP programme which is run by the school is a further incentive for the boys to whole-heartedly take to service projects.