Education in Ancient India c12.s2.t2.3

c12.s2.t2.3

The Condition of Education : These manifold achievements in different spheres became possible because Indians had still a free, open and enquiring mind and were making strenuous efforts to extend the bounds of knowledge and to ensure its transmission to posterity. With a view to enlist the help of the whole society for this work, Upanayana ritual was made obligatory for the whole Aryan community at about the beginning of this period. This gave a great impetus to the spread both of literacy and higher education. As learning became more and more extensive in course of time, education in the family became impracticable, and society began to encourage distinguished scholars to become regular teachers. They used to organise private schools for higher studies, relying mainly on the voluntary contributions of students taking their advantage. Brahmacharya discipline was still rigorous, but towards the end of the period the marriageable age of girls began to be gradually lowered, which adversely affected female education. During the earlier part of this period, however, there was no dearth of women philosophers and scholars, some of whom used to organise schools and hostels for girls. Co-education was however not unknown. Majority of girls received their education at home, as was the case with boys also during the earlier period. The educational system paid as much attention to the cultivation of the Vedic studies as to that of grammar and philology, mathematics and astronomy, epic and legal literature. Professions became specialised towards the end of this period and society began to feel it advantageous that they should become hereditary in order to encourage further efficiency. The ordinary soldier or agriculturist used however to receive a fair amount of cultural education. The training imparted to the doctor and the sculptor was fairly practical and efficient, and the average intelligence of the artisan class was fairly high. The skilled worker was respected by society. Education was regarded as a serious proposition and society was anxious that its benefits should be extended to as large a class as possible. Various steps were being proposed and adopted to see that students did not stop their studies at the end of their courses. Educational system continued to be successful in forming character, building up personality, extending the bounds of knowledge and preserving the heritage of the past. It undoubtedly promoted social happiness and efficiency; it enabled India to be at the vanguard of progress in the contemporary world and repel and subjugate the powerful Greek enemy.