Hello everyone!! It differs from the typical educational process in the United States. Nonetheless, I decided to publicize this cause. I recently researched the ancient education system and was blown away by how beautiful it was and how Indian education had revolutionized. As Indian citizens and students, we must understand our country's history and how it affects us today. I'd love to share more of these stories as well as other posts about education in the United States.
I'll talk about the Vedic period, the pre-revolutionary period, and the new English system. I will go over each topic in-depth and do my best to make the second part of this series because history fascinates me.
1)Vedic Period
During ancient times, education was thought to be the only privilege granted to the upper social class, while women were taught housework, dance, and other necessary medical skills using natural remedies. During this time, education was imparted and passed down orally rather than in writing (practical knowledge was given high importance than theory though they teach reading, writing, and speaking according to each social class). The educational process is divided into three stages. 1)Shravana (hearing), 2)Manana (reflection), and 3)Nididhyasana (reflection) (application). Shravana refers to gaining knowledge by hearing the shrutis; manana refers to thinking about the given situation and making inferences while attempting to solve it; and Nididhyasana refers to applying the knowledge gained by each student.
Vedic education entails teaching the rules of sacrifice, grammar, occupational skills, and medical knowledge (herbal medicines for some natural diseases like cold and fever). Students received free education, but some paid "Guru Dakshina" to express their gratitude to the "Guru" (teacher). The central theme of Vedic is one of the oldest Hindu scriptures known as the Upanishads, through which teachers and students journey in search of truth (reasoning and questioning, which has no final answers). The teachers were revered as spiritual guides and were treated with the utmost deference.
2)Pre-Revolution
The school system continues to emphasize practical and oral knowledge over theoretical knowledge. There was no fail or pass system (exams were not academic). After some education, some teachers sent students out to explore and analyze the world. While the brahmins raised funds to educate students, the instruction was completely free. Only certain social groups (including priests, brahmins, and higher social class groups) were taught. Teachers are referred to as gods by the students (they believe that mother, father, teacher, and god are all important). Teachers were regarded as superior and were held in high regard in every household.
Women were not valued and were not encouraged to attend school; instead, they were taught household and other daily tasks before being married off at a young age (called child marriage). There were no separate subjects like physics or medicine, but they were taught the fundamentals of all subjects. There were no schools present. Students were asked to sit outside or inside the Guru's house because the school did not have a complete building at the time. Due to a lack of curriculum, only one teacher was teaching all subjects and lessons (not existing).
3) New English System
The education revolution began after World War I. An Englishman was sent to India to assess the current system, and he returned to the government with the conclusion that Indian education requires a change and a standardized approach. There was an introduction of different levels of education based on their age. Universities were established to provide additional education (the beginning of a revolution in science in the industry). As a school, an entire building was provided, as well as a teacher for each subject. English was regarded as a standard language, and Indian culture had little influence. Henry A. Fischel pioneered the exam and curriculum-based system in the late nineteenth century. The relationship between students and teachers has deteriorated over time. The majority of the teachers were English teachers.
Following World War II and the newly established independence, the educational community decided that English would not be taught. Nonetheless, due to internal language (100+ were present at the time when there was no standard language or recognized languages), English remained the primary language, and books were printed in English. Compared to the Vedic period, the relationship with the teacher was not considered respectful as education became pressured and the teacher began to use physical violence against the students. The school was only for wealthy people, and untouchability was practiced, resulting in a small number of students. Women were taught housework by their mothers and married at a young age (child marriage was still practiced).
We experienced the era of our grandparents, parents, generation, and new education after the introduction of the new educational system. The new education policy is influenced by the education systems of the United States and the United Kingdom, which I will discuss in more detail later. Because the new education policy prioritized the mother tongue until the fifth grade, divide the academic year into semesters, and reduce the importance of board exams. Board exams were given less priority during admission because standardized exams will be administered throughout the country, and the results will be sent to colleges for admission.
The new education policy may usher in a new era in India's educational system. Nonetheless, due to the pandemic, online education became the only option, disrupting students' academic lives. Personally, I believe there is no point in forcing students to return to school because there is a new variant with the increase in death cases every day, causing parents to be fearful. I hope everything returns to normal, but we can help by being cautious. As the third wave is predicted, please stay at home and leave only when absolutely necessary. Please stay at home and be safe. Wear a mask.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please feel free to make any additional suggestions; I will do my best.
Thank you
Yours
Gayathri
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