UGC NET-Higher Education System

Ancient education system has been very wide in India. Here, we intend to cover the basic tenets only. In ancient times, there were two education systems, such as ‘Vedic’ and ‘Buddhist’. The Vedic system refers to Vedas, the six Vedangas (phonetics, ritualistic knowledge, grammar, exegetics, metrics and astronomy), Upanishads, the six Darshanas (Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta), Puranas (history), Tarka shastra (logic). There were some allied subjects also. Sanskrit was the medium of instruction in Vedic system. Vedanga was the synonym of all these subjects taken together, where it corroborates the performance of sacrifice, correct pronunciation, knowledge of prosody, etymology, grammar and Jyotishi or the science of calendar.

First of all, we can focus on Vedic education, with semblances of Sutras, Brahmanism. Knowledge was passed on orally from one generation to another in ancient India. Basically, education involved the comprehension of three basic stages involved in the process.

1. Sravana: Stage of acquiring knowledge of ‘Shrutis’ by listening.
2. Manana: Meaning pupils to think, analyse themselves about what they heard, assimilate the lessons taught by their teacher and make their own inferences.
3. Nididhyasana: Meaning comprehension of truth and apply it into real life.

The main goal of life is self-realization despite all people have different inclinations. The preservation and enrichment of culture, character and cultivation of noble ideals were the main aims. There was to be holistic development of the individual by taking care of both the inner and the outer self.
Knowledge was divided into two broad streams as given below.

1. The Paravidya: The higher knowledge and the spiritual wisdom.
2. The Aparavidya: The lower knowledge and the secular sciences.

Under vedic education, special attention was paid to correct pronunciation of words, Pada or even letters. Indian sages devoted themselves to the study of a supra-sensible world and spiritual powers and moulded their life accordingly.

Pure oral teaching (from the lips of the teacher) was regarded as purely Vedic. The second method of teaching was ‘Chintan’ (thinking). So the primary subject of educa-
tion was the mind itself.
The admission criteria were moral fitness and unimpeachable conduct. The discipline of brahmacharya (celibacy) was compulsory. It was one of the sacred duties of the pupil to serve his preceptor. ‘Brahm Sangh’ was the opportunity for students to acquire higher knowledge.
The society and state did not interfere much with the curriculum of studies or regulating the payment of fees.
A typical ancient Indian educational system was fully and compulsorily residential. The student had to live in the house of his teacher for learning purposes. The relationship was kind of spiritual.

Education was free most of the times, and that too to upheld the dignity of labour, even if he was at the highest intellectual course. Students used to learn through seminars, discussions and debates.

The admission of students was made by the formal ceremony Upanayana (initiation). In the new home of Guru, he had a second birth and was called Dvijya or twice born. Education would start at the age of five with a ceremony called Vidyarambha, where it includes learning the alphabets and worshipping goddess Saraswathi. The Upanayana ceremony would start between the ages of eight to twelve years. He would now be called ‘Brahmacharin’. A Bramacharin after finishing his education is eligible to become a Grihasta or a householder.

There was a high standard of learning for women also. In house, they might learn music and dancing. They had to undergo the Upanayana ceremony. There were two classes of educated women as stated below.

1. Sadyodwahas: They are people who prosecuted studies till their marriages.
2. Brahmavadinis: They are people who did not marry and pursued studies throughout out their lives.

Women were also taught the Vedas and Vedangas, but the extent of their study was restricted only to those hymns which were necessary for the Yajna (sacrifice)
or other ritualistic operations. Women sages were called Rishikas. Here, we can name, scholarly women like Maitreyi and Gargi.

The fundamental principles of social, political and economic life were combined into a comprehensive theory, which is sometimes called religion in Hindu thought also. There was a total combination of ideals, practices and conduct called into a Dharma (Religion, Virtue or Duty) here. They identified their duty with devotion to the ideal of ‘summum bonum’ of mankind. Human soul was the material world. Sometimes, the ultimate aim of education emerged as the Chitta Vritti Nirodha, which is the control of mental activities connected with the concrete world.

The doctrine of action (Karma) occupies a verysignificant place.
The word Veda means knowledge and are nitya (routine). They are basic to life and four in number:

Rig veda: It is the earliest work of all Indo-European languages and humanity that comprises ‘Plain Living’ and ‘High Thinking’. Gayatri mantram that is also found in Sama Veda and Yajur Veda touch the highest point of knowledge and sustain human souls to this day. The Rig Veda is a collection of 1028 hymns.
Sama veda: The Sama Veda is a collection of verses from the Rig Veda for liturgical purposes. Liturgical is the participation of people in the work of God.
Yajur veda: It is the collection of prose mantras, though the duty of chanting the hymns on the occasion of sacrifice was mainly undertaken by the Hotri, the first order of priesthood.

In due course of time, the fourth Veda called the Atharva Veda was also recognized, where it is more original in contents. The majority of mantras have not been adapted from the Rig Veda. The Atharva Veda is thoroughly secular in character containing a vivid description of various arts and sciences.

Rig Veda mentions women Rais called Brahmanavadinis to denote equality between the sexes in the field of knowledge.

Chronologically, Vedas can be divided into the following two parts.

1. The early vedic (1500–1000 BCE) when most of the Rig Vedas were composed.
2. The later vedic (1000–600 BCE) when remaining vedas were composed.

Post Vedic education also continued with three types of institutions, namely Gurukulas, Parishads (Academies) and Sammelans (Conferences). The first lesson that was taught to the student was the performance of sandhya and also reciting of gayatri.
The period of the Vedic literature was followed by that of Sutra literature, between 600 BC and 200 BC. When Vedic literature spread, there was a need for some amicable institutions to take care of them. This brought Sutras (Dharam Sutras) literature with great principles of social conduct into existence. The Yoga of Patanjali, Nyaya of Gautama and Mimamsa Shastras were its products.

Besides, Smritis were written for proper guidance of life. The Sutra period was identical with that of Upanishad period.

In this way, the study of philosophy was complete in itself. It presented a correct solution to the problems of discipline, humanity and supreme knowledge. Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the main epics of ancient India. These epics give us glimpses into the creed of militarism of that age.

A full-fledged Ashram is described as consisting of several departments, such as Agnisthana (for fire worship and prayers), Brahmasthana (Vedas), Vishnusthana (Department for teaching Raja Niti, Arthaniti, and Vartta), etc.

About Brahmic education, Mr. F. E. Keay, in his book named ‘History of Indian Education, Ancient and Later Times’ observes that not only did Brahman education developed a system of education which survived the crumbling empires and the changes in society, but they also, through all these thousands of years, kept a glow
of the torch of higher learning and numbered amongst them many great thinkers who have left their mark not only on the learning of India but upon the intellectual
life of the world.

In Brahmanic education, instead of collective teaching, individual teaching prevailed. Thus, there were more opportunities to develop the inner talents of the students, where it was not only theoretical but also gave the practical knowledge to face the struggles of life. Here, the course of study was much wider than that of Vedic period. The education was based on psychological principles.