EDUCATION SYSTEM IN VEDIC PERIOD

ByBy

Dr. Syed Hasan QasimDr. Syed Hasan QasimAsst. Professor Asst. Professor

Dept. of Teacher Education Dept. of Teacher Education ASE, SHIATSASE, SHIATS

Education in IndiaEducation in IndiaThe most important contribution of ancient India not The most important contribution of ancient India not only for India but also for the world is in the field of only for India but also for the world is in the field of education.education.

““We owe a lot to the Indians who taught us how to We owe a lot to the Indians who taught us how to count without which no worthwhile scientific count without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have made.”discovery could have made.”

-Albert Einstein-Albert Einstein

““India is the cradle of the human race. Most India is the cradle of the human race. Most valuable and the most instructive materials in the valuable and the most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.”history of man are treasured up in India only.”

-Mark Twain, an American Writer-Mark Twain, an American Writer

History of Education in IndiaHistory of Education in India

Vedic Period: Before 600 B.C.Vedic Period: Before 600 B.C.Buddhist Period: 600 B.C. – 1200 Buddhist Period: 600 B.C. – 1200 A.D.A.D.Medieval Period: 1200 A.D. – 1800 Medieval Period: 1200 A.D. – 1800 A.D.A.D.British Period: 1800 A.D. – 1947British Period: 1800 A.D. – 1947Post Independence Period: After Post Independence Period: After 19471947

Sources of the Vedic education: Sources of the Vedic education: The Vedic literature represents the most important The Vedic literature represents the most important and intrinsic part of life of the India people. The Vedic and intrinsic part of life of the India people. The Vedic literature consists of the followingliterature consists of the following1.      Four Vedas1.      Four Vedas2.      Six Vedangas2.      Six Vedangas3.      Four Upvedas3.      Four Upvedas4.    Four Brahmanas4.    Four Brahmanas5.      One hundred and 5.      One hundred and eighty eighty UpanishadsUpanishads6.      Six systems of 6.      Six systems of philosophyphilosophy7.      Bhagwad Gita7.      Bhagwad Gita8.      Three Smritis8.      Three Smritis

Aims and Objectives of Vedic Aims and Objectives of Vedic EducationEducation

1. Ultimate objective as moksha or self-realisation:-1. Ultimate objective as moksha or self-realisation:- Ancient  Ancient Indians believed that education should prepare and individual in Indians believed that education should prepare and individual in such a way as to prepare him to attain the objective of liberation, such a way as to prepare him to attain the objective of liberation, i.e. to be one with the almighty and to be free from the cycle of i.e. to be one with the almighty and to be free from the cycle of births & deaths.births & deaths.

2. Infusion of Piety & Religiousness:-2. Infusion of Piety & Religiousness:- In ancient India religion  In ancient India religion played a prominent part. Education aimed at the infusion of piety played a prominent part. Education aimed at the infusion of piety and religiousness in the minds of the pupils.and religiousness in the minds of the pupils.

3. Education for worldliness:-3. Education for worldliness:- Vocational aim :- Happiness in  Vocational aim :- Happiness in other world was given more stress than the happiness in this world. other world was given more stress than the happiness in this world. This world according to them, was unreal & full of fetters. This world according to them, was unreal & full of fetters.

4. Character formation:-4. Character formation:-  Morality or the right behavior was the   Morality or the right behavior was the higher “Dharma”. Education was regarded as a means of higher “Dharma”. Education was regarded as a means of inculcating values such as strict obedience to elders, truthfulness, inculcating values such as strict obedience to elders, truthfulness, honesty and temperance.honesty and temperance.

4. Development of all round personality:-4. Development of all round personality:- Ancient Indians  Ancient Indians believed that personality should be developed through education. believed that personality should be developed through education. Personality was developed through the following methods:-Personality was developed through the following methods:-(a)    Self-restraint(a)    Self-restraint(b)   Self-confidence(b)   Self-confidence(c)    Self-respect(c)    Self-respect(d)   Discrimination and judgement(d)   Discrimination and judgement

5. Stress on Social duties:-5. Stress on Social duties:- A student was not to lead self- A student was not to lead self-centered life. He was to perform his duties as a son, as a centered life. He was to perform his duties as a son, as a husband, as a father & many other capacities in the society. His husband, as a father & many other capacities in the society. His wealth was not for his own sake as for his family, he must be wealth was not for his own sake as for his family, he must be hospitable and charitable. All professions laid stress on civil hospitable and charitable. All professions laid stress on civil responsibilities.responsibilities.

6. Promotion of Social Efficiency and Welfare:-6. Promotion of Social Efficiency and Welfare:- The  The promotion of social efficiency & welfare was an equally important promotion of social efficiency & welfare was an equally important aim of education. Society had accepted the theory of division of aim of education. Society had accepted the theory of division of work which was later on governed by the principle of heredity. work which was later on governed by the principle of heredity. Each family trained its children in its own profession. The purpose Each family trained its children in its own profession. The purpose was to make each individual society efficient.was to make each individual society efficient.

7. Preservation and promotion of culture:-7. Preservation and promotion of culture:- the preservation  the preservation and promotion of national culture and heritage was also and promotion of national culture and heritage was also stressed. Every person had to learn at least a portion of his stressed. Every person had to learn at least a portion of his sacred literacy heritage. A section of Brahman as had to devote sacred literacy heritage. A section of Brahman as had to devote the whole of their life to the cause of learning to commit the the whole of their life to the cause of learning to commit the Vedas to memory in order to ensure preservation.Vedas to memory in order to ensure preservation.

MainMain  features of the features of the Vedic EducationVedic Education

Free education in Ancient India:-Free education in Ancient India:- In ancient India  In ancient India teaching was considered to be holy duty which a teaching was considered to be holy duty which a Brahman was bound to discharge irrespective of Brahman was bound to discharge irrespective of consideration of the fee. Teacher were expected to consideration of the fee. Teacher were expected to devote their lives to the cause of teaching in the devote their lives to the cause of teaching in the missionary spirit of self-sacrifice, and the society laid missionary spirit of self-sacrifice, and the society laid down the principal that both the public and state down the principal that both the public and state should help the learned teachers & educational should help the learned teachers & educational institutions very liberally. institutions very liberally.

No state control on education:-No state control on education:- Rulers of the  Rulers of the country had very little directly to do  with education. It country had very little directly to do  with education. It was a private affairs of the people managed entirely by was a private affairs of the people managed entirely by Brahmans.Brahmans.

High status of Teachers:-High status of Teachers:- Teachers were a highly  Teachers were a highly honoured class-honoured by even by kings. Kings rose honoured class-honoured by even by kings. Kings rose from thrones to receive great teachers such as Narada, from thrones to receive great teachers such as Narada, Vashishtha and Vishwamitra.Vashishtha and Vishwamitra.

Teachers as Parents: - Teachers as Parents: - Teachers behaved as parent to Teachers behaved as parent to their pupils and pupils behaved as members of the their pupils and pupils behaved as members of the teachers’ family. The attitude of the pupil was to be one teachers’ family. The attitude of the pupil was to be one of complete submission.of complete submission.

Residential Schools:-Residential Schools:- Teachers and pupils lived  Teachers and pupils lived together and so identified themselves with one another.together and so identified themselves with one another.

Immediate aim:-Immediate aim:-  Vocational: The immediate aim of  Vocational: The immediate aim of education, however, was to prepare the different casts education, however, was to prepare the different casts of people for their actual needs of life.of people for their actual needs of life.

Methods of Instruction:-Methods of Instruction:-  There were three steps in instruction:There were three steps in instruction:  1. Sravana       2. Manana        3. Nididhyasana.1. Sravana       2. Manana        3. Nididhyasana.SravanaSravana is listening to words texts as they uttered by  is listening to words texts as they uttered by the teacher.the teacher.MananaManana is the process of deliberation or reflection of  is the process of deliberation or reflection of the topic taught.the topic taught.NididhyasanaNididhyasana represents the highest stage. represents the highest stage.

Individual teaching:-Individual teaching:- Pupils were taught individually  Pupils were taught individually not in masses by the class method.not in masses by the class method.

Evaluation SystemEvaluation SystemThere seems to be no direct reference available to spell There seems to be no direct reference available to spell out the methodology followed by the Acharya to judge out the methodology followed by the Acharya to judge the adequacy of knowledge of his pupils. Yaskas and the adequacy of knowledge of his pupils. Yaskas and Sayana, famous commentators on the Vedas, have Sayana, famous commentators on the Vedas, have inferred from the Rig Veda hymn that the students were inferred from the Rig Veda hymn that the students were given three grades as under:given three grades as under:1.      Maha Prazanan grade:- Students of very high 1.      Maha Prazanan grade:- Students of very high ability.ability.2.      Madhyama Prazanan grade:- Students of high 2.      Madhyama Prazanan grade:- Students of high ability.ability.3.      Alpa Prazanan grade:- Students of low ability.3.      Alpa Prazanan grade:- Students of low ability.

Role of Travel in Education:-Role of Travel in Education:- Travel was regarded as  Travel was regarded as necessary to give a finish tough to education.necessary to give a finish tough to education.

Medium of Instruction:-Medium of Instruction:- The medium of instruction  The medium of instruction was Sanskrit.was Sanskrit.

Self-control & Self–Discipline:-Self-control & Self–Discipline:- It was considered to  It was considered to be the best discipline. However Corporal punishment be the best discipline. However Corporal punishment was not altogether ruled out.was not altogether ruled out.

Wide spread education of women:-Wide spread education of women:- In the earlier  In the earlier Vedic, and Upanishad times, girls were free to go Vedic, and Upanishad times, girls were free to go through the “Upanayana’ ceremony , live a life of through the “Upanayana’ ceremony , live a life of celibacy, studied Vedas, vedangas and other subjects celibacy, studied Vedas, vedangas and other subjects along with their brother pupils.along with their brother pupils.

Teachers as Spiritual as well as Teachers as Spiritual as well as Intellectual GuideIntellectual Guide

Teachers as Spiritual as well as Intellectual Teachers as Spiritual as well as Intellectual GuideGuideTeacher occupied a pivotal position in the Vedic System Teacher occupied a pivotal position in the Vedic System of education. The teacher was a parent surrogate of education. The teacher was a parent surrogate (Parent Substitute), a facilitator of learning, exemplar (Parent Substitute), a facilitator of learning, exemplar and inspirer, confident, detector friend and philosopher and inspirer, confident, detector friend and philosopher moral educator, reformer, evaluator, character and moral educator, reformer, evaluator, character and personality builder, importer if knowledge & wisdom personality builder, importer if knowledge & wisdom and above all a guru, religious & spiritual guide. The and above all a guru, religious & spiritual guide. The relationship between the teachers and pupil was relationship between the teachers and pupil was regarded as filial in character. Teacher was the spiritual regarded as filial in character. Teacher was the spiritual father of his pupils. In addition to imparting intellectual father of his pupils. In addition to imparting intellectual knowledge to them, he was also morally responsible. knowledge to them, he was also morally responsible. He was always to keep a guard over the conduct of his He was always to keep a guard over the conduct of his pupils. He must instruct them as how to sleep and as pupils. He must instruct them as how to sleep and as to what food they may take and what they may reject. to what food they may take and what they may reject.

CurriculumCurriculumAccording to recent researches, following disciplines were According to recent researches, following disciplines were included in the curriculum in the graded forms in accordance with included in the curriculum in the graded forms in accordance with the stages of education.the stages of education.1.      Anthropology1.      Anthropology2.      Astronomy2.      Astronomy3.      Economics3.      Economics4.      Epistemology4.      Epistemology5.      Eschatology5.      Eschatology6.      Ethnology6.      Ethnology7.      Geology7.      Geology8.      Human eugenics8.      Human eugenics9.      Mathematics9.      Mathematics10.   Military Science10.   Military ScienceThe system of education was well-organized. It was suited to the The system of education was well-organized. It was suited to the needs of the society education was considered as the greatest gift needs of the society education was considered as the greatest gift in ancient India. It was aimed at the development of personality of in ancient India. It was aimed at the development of personality of an individual to his maximum extent. an individual to his maximum extent.

Sanskars (Ceremonies or Sanskars (Ceremonies or Rituals)Rituals)

Vidyaramba Vidyaramba Sanskara or Akshar Sanskara or Akshar SwikaranSwikaran

Upanayana Upanayana Sanskara (Initiation Sanskara (Initiation Ceremony)Ceremony)

Medha JnanaMedha Jnana Utsarjan CeremonyUtsarjan Ceremony VedarambaVedaramba Samavartana Samavartana

((Convocation Convocation Address )Address )

CurriculumCurriculumVedic Literature, Vedic Vedic Literature, Vedic Grammar, Agriculture, Grammar, Agriculture,

Anthropology, Anthropology, Astronomy, Economics, Astronomy, Economics,

Epistemology, Epistemology, Eschatology, Ethnology, Eschatology, Ethnology,

Geology, Animal Geology, Animal Husbandry, Mathematics Husbandry, Mathematics

& Military Sciences& Military Sciences

Weakness of Vedic Weakness of Vedic EducationEducation

Rigidity in Instruction.Rigidity in Instruction. Strict Discipline.Strict Discipline. Immense importance to Immense importance to

Religion.Religion. Lack of freedom of Lack of freedom of

thought.thought. Neglect of Education of Neglect of Education of

Masses.Masses. Neglect of Women Neglect of Women

Education.Education. Hatred for New Religion.Hatred for New Religion. Neglect of Worldly Life.Neglect of Worldly Life.