Ancient Indian Education: An Inquiry into its Origin, Development, and Ideals c7.49

Language: English

c7.49.1

This most interesting statement illustrates Akbar’s great concern for education. It seems intended to bring about certain reforms in the schools, but the exact nature of those reforms is difficult to understand in the absence of information as to the state of affairs which it was intended to replace. Like many other reformers Akbar seems to have thought that too much time was spent in learning the mechanical arts of reading and writing, and he was probably trying to overcome the difficulties which the Persian character presents to the beginner. He seems to be recommending, in the first place, a quicker method of teaching these subjects. In the chapter on popular education it will be shown how in Hindu schools writing was taught before reading, and by the pupil running his pen over letters traced by the master, whereas in the Muhammadan Persian schools reading was taught before writing. Is it not possible that Akbar was impressed by the more rapid progress made in Hindu schools, in learning reading and writing, and wished to introduce these methods into Muhammadan schools also? His broad tolerance and interest in Hindus as well as Muhammadans makes this not unlikely. With regard to his regulations for learning by heart it is, again, not clear what reform is intended. It may be that he wished to reduce the time spent on this also, and make it more intelligent by insisting on the pupils understanding what they were learning, and writing out what they learnt.

c7.49.2

It is noteworthy that among the five things which the teacher is urged specially to look after are the meanings of words and the revision of the former lesson. Akbar evidently intended whatever was done to be done thoroughly. The injunction that ‘care is to be taken that he (the pupil) learns to understand everything himself, but the teacher may assist him a little,’ sounds almost like a quotation from a modern textbook on education. While, however, we must be careful not to read too much into this or any other statement of this document we can say at least that it shows that Akbar saw the need of intelligent co-operation on the part of the pupil in the work of education, and that true progress can only be made when the pupil is learning to think out his own problems. The curriculum which is put forward as suitable for ‘every boy’ must evidently be intended for the *madrasah* rather than for the primary schools. Even so it is a very wide one. It is to be noticed that in the earlier portion of the document Akbar laments the fact that a great portion of the life of students is wasted by making them read ‘many books’, and yet he here recommends the study of a very large number of subjects. But the two things are not inconsistent. The former statement evidently refers to the reading of many books without understanding them, or of books which his majesty would not consider of much practical use, as, for example, the vapid *belles lettres* in Persian.

c7.49.3

He seems, in fact, to be taking the line so often taken by practical men of affairs, and to deprecate mere book-learning as contrasted with the acquisition of practical knowledge. The curriculum which he lays down contains a preponderance of scientific subjects, but these were, no doubt, those usually taught in the *madrasahs*. We can, however, hardly suppose that any one *madrasah* taught them all, or that many students could get a thorough grasp of such a wide range of subjects. The order of subjects in Akbar’s scheme seems to give a preference to those which were of practical utility, which suits the character of Akbar, who was himself an inventor and encouraged the mechanical arts. It is to be noted, however, that the subject of morals heads the list, and theology was also included. The short reference at the end of the document to Hindu education shows Akbar’s interest in that also. It apparently only records what was the usual practice in teaching Sanskrit students, and the emperor would hardly have dared to work out reforms for the Brāhmanic education, but the injunction that ‘no one should be allowed to neglect those things which the present time requires’ may be taken as a suggestion that the practical side of education should not be neglected.