Public Administration in Ancient India c22.42

c22.42

The congregation of learned men at the seats of learning gave rise to Universities. The first important university of ancient times was Taksha-silā. The Jātakas speak of Taksha-silā as a great centre of learning, where the pupils were taught by teachers of world-wide fame.² At the University of Taksha-silā eighteen branches of learning were taught in separate schools, each of which was presided over by a special professor. The subjects taught there included not only philosophy, theology, and literature, but also sculpture, painting, and handicrafts. Taksha-silā continued to flourish till about the first century before Christ. In the early centuries of the Christian Era, there grew up in Berar the University of Dhanya Kataka.¹