A Unique Education System- Gurukul

In 1822, when there were no normal schools anywhere, there were about 7,32,000 gurukuls across India, one in every village. At that time the literacy rate of India was 97%.

India has a rich tradition in the field of learning and education since ancient times when people from abroad used to come to India to get quality education.

One of the famous education systems prevalent at that time was the Gurukul system. It was a residential school system that originated around 5000 BCE and was more prevalent during the Vedic era.

The word Gurukul is derived from the Sanskrit words guru (teacher) and kul (family). The Gurukul was actually the home of the teacher or Acharya and the centre of learning where the disciples resided until their education was completed.

Everyone in the Gurukul was treated as equal and the Guru and the disciple lived in the same house or near each other. The main focus was on learning in a natural environment, where the disciples lived with each other in brotherhood, humanity, love and discipline.

Students were taught 18 subjects in all, including mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, medical science, yoga, meditation, war-craft, physical education, economics, political science, administration etc.

They also learned daily chores, self-discipline, humility, humanity and spirituality that helped in personality development, which is essential even today to face the world with wisdom and confidence.

This relationship of guru and shishya was so sacred that no fee was charged from the students. Gurukul was not run by the grant of the king but by the donation of the public and the entire education was free.

However, at the end of one’s education, before leaving the gurukul, a disciple would offer guru dakshina, a traditional gesture of gratitude, respect and thanks to the guru, be it in the form of money or a special task the teacher wanted the student to perform.

But the above concept disappeared and the modern system of education was brought to India in the year 1835 by Lord Macaulay. We all know what are the drawbacks of the new system, however regular reforms are being done at various levels to provide holistic education.

Gurukuls still exist in India, but in a very pathetic condition. Many people consider the Gurukul system to be a very unstructured and strange concept.

However, the modern-day educationists have taken a backward look and feel that there are many teaching approaches from the Gurukul system that can be inculcated in the present-day educational system e.g. focus on practical knowledge, development of a value-based system, and a friendly relationship between teachers and students.

The main idea behind the Gurukul system was to help students understand the concept of a balanced life, which is essential for making informed decisions in every sphere of life.

It is difficult to bring back the old Gurukul system completely now, but the ideas will never become obsolete and will remain relevant for all days to come.

–Kaushal Kishore

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