The Vedic system of education in ancient India had the following key features: 1. Education was based on learning the Vedas and imparting religious knowledge through oral instruction and memorization. 2. Schooling took place in residential schools called gurukuls under the guidance of Brahmin teachers. Students were expected to serve their gurus for over a decade. 3. The objectives of education were inculcating dharma, preserving culture, and developing skills through mainly religious subject matter. Education was meant to fulfill the goals of life through dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

1. HISTORY OF EDUCATION
PRE-INDEPENDENCE
B.A. Education Sem I
Paper II
UNIT I
Dr Paul Mathew
Assistant Professor
Department of Education
Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow

3. EDUCATION IN VEDIC TIMES
Basic Features:
1.Ved comes from vid - to know
2.Education based on the Vedas
3.four Vedas- Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva.
Four varnas- Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra. Four ashramas –
Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, Sanyasa.
4.karma theory – you have to face the consequences of your actions
5.rebirth- the cycle of punarjanma
6.atman – soul

4. BASIC FEATURES
• 7. supremacy of the Brahmins
• 8. curriculum - mostly religious- study of religious books and about
religion
• 9. imparting basic skills for survival in the world
• 10. oral content , recitation
• 11. finance - local support for gurukulas
• 12. teachers mostly Brahmin males - highly respected
• 13. place of women – Scholars like Gargi, Apala, Maitreyi
• 14. Sankhya – Yoga Philosophies- speak of - atman, body, intellect

5. OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION:
• 1. Inculcation of the spirit of piety and righteousness
• 2. Preservation and spread of ancient culture
• 3. Development of personality
• 4. Formation of character
• 5. Inculcation of civic and social sense
• 6. Promotion of vocational proficiency

6. VEDIC SYSTEM OF EDUCATION:
1) System of admission:
• 1. Upanayana – Sacred thread ceremony
dwija – twice born- ceremony for admission
• 2. Acharya- the student is placed under the care of the guru
• 3. Brahmacharya- students should remain celibates
2) Seats of Learning:
• a. Teachers’ home - residential schools
• b. Gurukul
• c. Natural surroundings- education in the lap of nature

9. VEDIC SYSTEM OF EDUCATION:
• 3) Students’ duties:
• a. Begging alms b. Tending sacred fire c.Helping in domestic
chores
• 4) Regulations of Life:
• 1. Early rising 2. Prayer – Sandhya 3. Daily bath
• 4. Dress – uniform
• 5. Food- satvik – garlic, ginger, onion to be avoided
• 6. Celibacy- brahmacharya
• 7. Study for a duration of 12 years

10. VEDIC SYSTEM OF EDUCATION:
• 5) Uniform:
• a. Ajina – upper garment of deer skin
• b. Vasa- lower garment
• c. Danda- staff
• d. Mekhala – girdle
• e. Tuft – dressing of hair (choti)

11. VEDIC SYSTEM OF EDUCATION:
• V) Education of the twice born- Brahmins had right to
education
• VI) Education of non-Brahmins: acquiring skills related to
occupation/ no mention of the education of the shudras
• VII) Education of women- not widespread though there were
some women scholars

12. VIII) METHODS OF TEACHING:
• a. maukhik –oral instruction
• B. rote memorization
• C. Chintan -- Smaran – Manan d. Sanskrit - the medium
• IX) Aims of education:
• a) Purusharthas- artha, kama, dharma, moksha
• b) Religion based education- acquiring knowledge about religion,
sacred books c) Character formation d) Development of skills
• e) Commitment to society f) Preservation of culture

13. X) TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS:
• a. gurukulas – under the acharya
• b. parishads – academics- where discussions and discourses take place
5 to 25 brahmins - Kind of university
• c. Sammelans- conferences-learned men- took place in palaces and
courts
XI) Divisions of the Vedic period:
• a. Rig vedic period b. Brahminic period c. Upanishadic period
• d. Sutra period e. Smriti Vedic period