India has been known for its ancient education system. India’s culture, wealth, religions, philosophies, art, architecture and its educational practices had spread far across the world. The ancient education system in India was regarded as a source for the knowledge, traditions and practices that guided and encouraged humanity.

What Was Taught in Ancient Indian Schools? Subjects and Curriculum

The education system focused on the moral, physical, spiritual and intellectual aspects of life.
Values such as humility, truthfulness, discipline, self-reliance and respect for all creations were focussed upon.
Vedas, Brahmanas, Upanishads and Dharmasutras were taught.
Writings of Aryabhata, Panini, Katyayana and Patanjali.
Medical treatises of Charaka and Sushruta.
Itihas (history), Anviksiki (logic), Mimamsa (interpretation) Shilpashastra (architecture), Arthashastra (polity), Varta (agriculture, trade, commerce, animal husbandry) and Dhanurvidya (archery) were various disciplines.
Shastrartha (learned debates) were also organised.
Students also participated in krida (games), vyayamaprakara (exercises), dhanurvidya (archery) for acquiring martial skills, and yogasadhana.
Teaching was largely oral and students remembered and meditated upon what was taught in the class.

How Education Was Imparted in Ancient India: Gurukuls, Temples, and Pathshalas”

Temples: Took interest in the promotion of knowledge.
Viharas and universities: for higher education
Gurukuls: They were named after sages. Gurukuls were residential schools.
In the early Vedic period, women also had access to education during the. Few examples of women vedic scholars were: Maitreyi, Viswambhara, Apala, Gargi and Lopamudra.

The universities that evolved in ancient India were Takshashila, Nalanda, Valabhi, Vikramshila, Odantapuri and Jagaddala. Let us read them:

Takshashila or Taksila

It was an ancient Indian city. It is now located in north-western Pakistan.
Taxila university has been in existence from 600 BC – 500 BC.
It is UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.
Chanakya is said to have composed his Arthashastra here.
Its ruins were discovered by Archaeologist Alexander Cunningham in the mid-19th century.
Taxila was the capital of Gandhara.
Subject curriculum included: Study of ancient scriptures, law, medicine, astronomy, military science and the eighteen silpas.
Famous scholars:Panini: He was an expert in language and grammar and authored Ashtadhyayi (one of the greatest works on grammar).
- Jivika: renowned physicians in ancient India. He was also the court doctor at Rajagriha
- Chanakya: Known for being skilled in statecraft. The Prime Minister of the founder of the Mauryan Empire, Chandragupta Maurya
Vedic philosopher Uddalaka Aruni (c. 7th century BCE) had travelled to the region of Gandhara (According to Shatapatha Brahmana).
Fa-Hien had visited Takshashila and defined the meaning of this city name as ‘Cut off Head’.
It is a historical fact that Rishabha, the first Jain Tirthankara, visited Takshashila(Taxila) millions of years ago.

History of Takshasila

The city of Takshasila could be found in the 5th to 6th century BC. It was situated at the central junction of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Its name is mentioned in Vayu Purana, ‘Jataka Tales, Ramayana and Mahabharatha. Its name means “City of Cut Stone” or “Rock of Taksha” in reference to a story in the Ramayana. The story in the Ramayana states that the city of Taxila was founded by Bharat (Younger brother of Lord Rama). The city was ruled by Bharata’s son Taksh. The Persian king, Darius I, described Gandhara as a province in the 5th century BCE. Takshashila(Taxila), the capital of Gandhara, was ruled by the Achaemenian(Persian) for more than a century.

Takshashila and Alexander the Great

Taxila had been invaded by the Persians, Greeks, Perthians(Iranians), Shakas or Scythians, and Kushanas. King Alexander the Great invaded Taxila . It was then ruled by the king Ambhi during the 4th century BC(326 BCE). Alexander also had to face another king, Porus, the region’s ruler between the Jhelum and the Chenab rivers of the Punjab, Pakistan. Unlike king Ambhi, king Porus fought Alexander. In 326 BCE, at Hydaspes, on the bank of the Jhelum river, two kings fought, and the battle came to be known as The Battle of the Hydaspes.’ Though many believe that Alexander won the battle. Within a decade after Alexander’s death, the governance of Taxila city went into the hands of the Mauryans.

Fall of Takshashila: The Huna Invasion and the End of a Glorious Era

Takshashila city was demolished by Hunas invasions in the second half of the 5th century CE. They smashed the whole city, university and all Buddhist monasteries, which were never recovered. And gradually, this city was deserted by the inhabitants by the 7th century CE.

Nalanda University

Located beside the Rajgir hills, Bihar India.
It existed from 425 AD to 1205 AD,
Emperor Kumar Gupta established Nalanda university in the Fifth Century A.D. It flourished for over 800 years till the end in 12th century CE.
Nalanda University is known from accounts left by Hiuen-tsang during the 6th and the 7th centuries A.D.
- Chinese scholar Hiuen Tsang lived in the university for 3 years in the first half of the 7th century CE. He became a student of Nalanda to study yogashastra.
Also, another Chinese scholar I-Qing also visited this place in the 7th century CE and lived here for 10 years.
These scholars have noted that as many as one hundred discourses happened on a daily basis, in a variety of disciplines through the methods of debate and discussions.
The Chancellor of Nalanda, Shilabhadra, was the highest authority in yoga.
Nalanda university had a huge library. It was situated in a special area known by the poetical name the Dharmaganja. The library comprised three huge buildings, called the Ratnasagara, the Ratnodadhi and the Ratnaranjaka. Out of three, the Ratnasagara was a nine-storied building and had the collection of manuscripts and rare sacred works like Prajnaparamita Sutra etc.
In 1812, the ruins of Nalanda were first rediscovered by Scottish surveyor Francis Buchanan-Hamilton. Then in 1861, it was officially identified as the ancient university by Sir Alexander Cunningham.
It was in March 2006, the late former President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, proposed the revival of the ancient Nalanda university.

What was taught in Nalanda?

Students at Nalanda studied the Vedas and were also trained in fine arts, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, politics and the art of warfare.
Emphasis was given to Mahayana learning (the Great Vehicle). Other subjects were the Hetuvidya, Sabdavidya, the Chikitsavidya, the words on Magic or Atharvaveda, the Samkhya, and Sanskrit Grammar etc.
There was an award ceremony in the university. After the study was over, degrees were awarded to students, taking into account their merit and social status.
Great masters such as Nagarjuna, Aryabhatta, and Dharmakirti contributed to the scholarly traditions of ancient Nalanda.

“Who Destroyed Nalanda University? The Huns, Gaudas, and Khilji

Nalanda university was attacked by the Huns under Mihirkul during the reign of Skandagupta (455-467 AD).Skanda Gupta later re-established the university. In the 7th century, the university was attacked by Gaudas. It was then repaired by the Buddhist king Harshvardhana (606-648 AD). Finally at the end of 12th Century AD Invader Bakhityar Khilji demolished it, killed the monks and burned the valuable library. Even after the death of Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1206, Nalanda continued to decline gradually, experiencing a prolonged period of decay and abandonment. However, it was not completely deserted. Between 1234 and 1236, the university still functioned in a weakened state with some support from King Buddhasena of Bodh Gaya. During this time, Dharmasvamin, a Tibetan monk, visited Nalanda, studied there, and documented his observations—providing rare insights into its final years.

Vikramshila University

Established by Pala ruler Dharampala.
It existed from 800 AD – 1203 AD.
It is situated 38 KM from Bhagalpur.
The university was for those students who wished to become Buddhist Monks.
After attaining their education, these monks traveled to far-off lands to spread Buddhism
Subjects taught: Sanskrit grammar, Logic, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Buddist Tantra and Ritualism were in vogue.
The titles of Mahapandit and Pandit were accorded as per merit to those who completed their education.
In the 12th century AD, like Nalanda, its library was also destroyed under Bakhtiyar Khilji (a military commander of Qutubuddin Aibak).

Vallabhi University

It was located in Vallabhi (modern-day Bhavnagar) in Western India.
It existed from 600 AD – 1200 AD.
It was famous for its Hinayana courses of studies and it had a well-equipped library.
Subject taught: Statesmanship, Economics, Book-keeping, Business, and Agriculture.
Despite being at the heart of Arab invasions in the late 8th century, the university managed to operate until the 12th century. However, these attacks likely diminished the power and financial capacity of its royal patrons, gradually undermining the institution’s support.

Takshashila to Nalanda: A Journey Through India’s Ancient Universities