Study the picture and answer the following questions:

(a) What is happening in the picture?

(b) What does the picture tell us about the system of education prevalent during the Vedic Age?

(c) How is this system different from the present education system?

(a) The picture shows a gurukul where the guru is imparting education to his students.

(b) During the Vedic Age, a special system of education known as the gurukul was prevalent. In this system, the students lived in the house of the guru and learnt from him. The guru treated his students like his own children. The students were required to do the household work for the teacher. They had to get up early in the morning, take bath and chant the Vedic mantras.
Most of the teaching was done orally and the students were required to learn everything by heart. The students were taught Vedic literature, grammar, astronomy, medicine, music, architecture and the art of warfare. After completing the education, the students paid Guru Dakshina or a fee to the teacher according to their means.

(c) The gurukul system of education is different from the present education system in the following ways:

1. In gurukul, students were required to be away from their homes and live a hard life without any personal choice whereas the present education system is much more comfortable for the students.
2. In gurukul, education was oral. The curriculum and methods of assessment for the students were not fixed whereas the present education system is well structured with books and proper assessments.
3. In gurukul, there was no fixed fee structure. The students paid guru dakshina according to their means whereas in present education system fee structure is well defined.