With reference to the picture given, answer the following question:

(a) Identify this ancient education system. Persons belonging to which ashrama of life attended this?

(b) Describe briefly the life in this ancient education institution.

(c) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of studying in this educational setup?

(a) The given picture shows Gurukul system of education in which the students used to live with their teacher called guru.

Persons belonging to Brahmacharya ashrama of life attended the Gurukul.

(b) The residence of Guru called gurukul, was the most sacred institution. The Gurukuls were located on the outskirts of the city and even in forests. The students lived there. The guru treated his students like his own children. The student was required to do household chores for his teacher. They woke up early in the morning, took bath and chanted Vedic mantras. Most of the teaching was done orally. At the completion of education, a student used to give Guru Dakshina — a gift to his teacher. The main object of education was to bring about physical, mental and spiritual development of the pupils. The subjects of study included the Vedas, Puranas, Grammar, Mathematics, Ethics, Logic and Military Science.

(c) Advantages of gurukul system of education — It brought a sense of equality among the students as children of king and children of common man all studied in the same setup with the same rules. It helped in the physical, mental and spiritual development of the students.

Disadvantages of gurukul system of education — Education was oral. Students were required to be away from their homes and live a hard life without any personal choice. There was no fixed curriculum and methods of assessment for the students.