EDUCATION SYSTEM IN ANCIENT INDIA

WHAT IS EDUCATION?

•Education in its general sense is a form of learning in which the knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through storytelling, discussion, teaching, training, or research.

INTODUCTIONThe history of education in ancient India is fascinating and is

recorded and can be tracked to the ancient era.

Education in ancient India began around the 3rd century B.C with elements of religious training and impart of traditional knowledge.

Sages and scholars imparted education orally.

Palm leaves and barks of trees were used for writing.

DHARMA

(moral and

social order)

KAMA(desires of mind and physical body)

MOKSHA

(spiritual well-being)

ARTHA(mater

ial lneeds

)

SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION

In ancient India a child followed the occupation of his father, either religious or professional .Over a period of time two systems of education developed, the Vedic and the Buddhist. As the name indicates in the former system Vedas, Vedangas, Upanishads and other allied subjects were taught while in the latter system, thoughts of all the major school of Buddhism was taught. While Sanskrit was the medium of instruction in the Vedic system of education, Pali was the medium of instruction in the Buddhist system of education.But both system offered vocational education apart from religious education of their respective faiths.There was also a purely vocational system of education wherein master craftsmen and artisans taught their skills to students who worked as apprentice under them.

MONASTIC ORDERS OF EDUCATION

• The priest class, the Brahmins, were imparted knowledge of religion, philosophy, and other ancillary branches while the warrior class, the Kshatriyas, were trained in the various aspects of warfare. The business class, the Vaishyas, were taught their trade and the lowered class of the Shudras was generally deprived of educational advantages.

• The age-limit for this purpose, ranged between five and sixteen for Brahmins, six and twenty-two for Kshatriyas, eight and twenty-four for Vaishyas.

RIGVEDIC EDUCATION• In ancient India, during the Vedic period from about 1500

BC to 600 BC, most education was based on the Veda and later Hindu texts and scriptures.• Vedic education included: proper pronunciation and

recitation of the Veda, the rules of sacrifice, grammar, understanding the secrets of nature, reasoning including logic, the sciences, and the skills necessary for an occupation. • There is mention in the Veda of herbal medicines for

various conditions or diseases, including fever, cough, baldness, snake bite and others.

• The oldest of the Upanishads - another part of Hindu scriptures - date from around 500 BC. These texts encouraged an exploratory learning process where teachers and students were co-travellers in a search for truth. • The teaching methods used reasoning and questioning. • The corpus of Sanskrit literature encompasses a rich tradition

of poetry and drama as well as technical, scientific, philosophical knowledge.•Generally Hindu religions texts and many central texts of

Buddhism and Jainism have also been composed in Sanskrit.

• Two Epic poems formed part of ancient Indian education.• The Mahabharata, discusses human goals. It attempts to

explain the relationship of the individual to society and the world .• The other epic poem, Ramayana, explores themes of human

existence and the concept of dharma.

• The formal admission ceremony was known as 'Upanayana'. •Upanayana ceremony was held to Brahmin boys at

the age of eight, for the Kshatriya boys at the age of ten and for the Vaishya boys at the age of twelve.•With the accomplishment of this ceremony the child

had to leave his home for the 'ashrama' where he would receive education. • It was supposed to be the re-birth of the child and

was known as 'Dvijya', which means, "twice born".

VEDAS

VEDAS

RIGVEDA

ATHARVAVEDA

SAMVEDA

YAJURVEDA

The Rigveda,containing hymns to be recited

The Yajurveda,containing formulas to be recited by the adhvaryu or

official priest

The Samaveda,Veda of melodies and chants

The Atharvaveda,a collection of spells and

incantations, magical charms and speculative hymns.

PERIOD OF PANINI

• Panini the famous grammarian of the 7th century B.C. • The account of education in the Sutra period will not

be complete without the consideration of the evidence of the grammatical literature as represented in the works of Panini.•Charaka was a medical teacher of great reputation

ARYABHATTHA

•Born: 476 AD in Patliputra in Magadha (now Patna)•Mathematician-Astronomer

ARYABHATTHA

His works includeoArithmeticoAlgebraoPlane trigonometry andoSpherical trigonometry

OTHER WORKS INCLUDE

Approximation of πPlace value system and zeroAstronomy

CHANAKYA

•Birth : c. 370 BCE Taxila, South India• Professor at the University of

Takshashila • Identified as  Kautilya or Vishnu Gupta•He is widely credited for having

played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire.

 FAMOUS WORKS INCLUDE 

ARTHASHASTRA

• Principles of politics• Arthashastra deals in detail with the qualities and

disciplines required for a wise and virtuous king.

 NEETISHASTRA

•  Indian way of life•  17chapters, 455 sutras • The dos and don'ts of administrating a kingdom

BRAHMACHARYA

“BRAHMA”, (shortened

from brahman), the

absolute, eternal,

supreme God-head.

“CHARYA”, which means

"to follow"

GURUKUL

SYSTEM

GURUKUL SYSTEM•Gurukul (ashram) was a type of school in India,

residential in nature, with pupils residing with the teacher (guru) as part of his family.•GURU refers to the Teacher or the master.

OBJECTIVES

• Self Control•Development of character• Social Awareness• Integral development of personality• Propagation of purity• Preservation of knowledge and culture

ADVANTAGES • As it was the only system of learning known in India at the time,

most of the shishyas gained their education through this medium.• The shishyas received knowledge in all subjects.• They received practical knowledge as well as knowledge on

various aspects of life.

• In a gurukul, students would reside together as equals, irrespective of their social standing, learnt from the guru and distribute work in themselves to help the guru in his day-to-day life.• They were taught impeccable manners and values that life is based

on.• The children were taught to live with meagre material things and no

fancy, pretentious objects.

The gurukul was a comprehensive learning center. Education was free, but students from well-to-do families

paid "Gurudakshina," a voluntary contribution after the completion of their studies. The gurudakshina is a traditional gesture of acknowledgment, respect and thankfulness.

SUBJECTS THAT WERE TAUGHT

• Śikshā (Phonetics)• Vyākarana (Grammar) • Jyotisha(Astronomy)• Arthaśāstra (Economics)• Dharmaśāstra(Laws)• Śastravidyā(Art of Warfare)• Kalā(Fine Arts)

UNIVERSITIES OF ANCIENT INDIA

NALANDA UNIVERSITY

Nalanda is the name of an ancient university in Bihar, Indiaand was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 CE to 1197 CE. It has been called "one of the first great universities in recorded history.”

TAKSHASHILA UNIVERSITY

REMAINS OF TAKSHASHILA UNIVERSITY

OTHER UNIVERSITIES OF ANCIENT INDIA• Mithila• Vallabi• Vikramasila• Jagaddala• Benares - Religious

Teachings

• Odantapuri• Nadia• Madura • Kanchi

EDUCATION OF WOMEN IN ANCIENT INDIA

Throughout the history of the country women have been described as highly educated.

A high standard of learning and culture was reached by Indian women during the Vedic age.

Perhaps education as such was not denied to women. During the Upanishad period we find scholarly women like Maitreyi

and Gargi taking part in public debates and discussions with philosophers and sages.

There is convincing evidence to show that women were regarded as perfectly

eligible for the privilege of studying the Vedic literature and performing the

sacrifices .They enjoyed it till about 200 B.C.

THE DECLINE•With the invasion of Muslim conquerors nearly all the centers of higher learning of the Hindus and Buddhists were destroyed. Nalanda was burnt to the ground in 1197 A.D.•While the Buddhist system of education was extinguished, the Vedic system of education found patronage in the southern peninsula in places like Hampi, Sringeri and Kanchi.