Education in Ancient India c8.s4.28

c8.s4.28

Monitorial System: In order to make personal supervision effective, the cooperation and help of advanced students were enlisted in the cause of education. They used to guide the studies of the juniors under the general supervision of their teachers. About the Valabhi college students, I-tsing observes that they used to pass two or three years, ‘instructed by their teachers and instructing others’.² This system also obtained at Taxila; for instance, the Kuru prince Sutasoma, who aquired proficiency earlier, was entrusted with the teaching of his brother prince, the heir apparent of Benares.³ Senior students at Taxila were often put in charge of their schools during the temporary absence of their teachers.⁴ This method of entrusting teaching work to brilliant students had a great educational value.