Education in Ancient India c6.s1.6

c6.s1.6

The Quota of Richer Citizens: Rich persons used to help the cause of education in more substantial ways. They would often engage the services of a teacher for their children and permit the villagers also to send their wards to study under him. Sometimes they used to take the lion's share in meeting the expenses of the local school. They used to offer substantial help to graduates collecting subscription for paying honorarium to their teachers. Very often they used to defray the expenses of copying books with a view to present them to scholars or schools. In an age in which there existed neither press nor paper, gifts of books were very badly needed.¹ Very rich persons sometimes used to found free feeding houses for the poor in general and the students in particular;² sometimes they would construct college buildings either as a matter of charity³ or in commemoration of some departed relation.⁴ Others would often endow chairs⁵ or make grants of land to meet some recurring expenses. This was a combination of Vidyādāna and Bhumidāna, and was very popular.¹ Those who were extremely rich would often found and endow schools and colleges.² Sometimes village communities³ and trade guilds⁴ also would organise and finance educational institutions from their own resources.