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Education under a Guru-Shishya tradition is very old in India - although we do not find many references in Raamaayan period but in Mahaabhaarat period it was very common. In those days the priest class, the Braahman were imparted knowledge of religion, philosophy, and other ancillary branches in Gurukul; while the warrior class, the Kshatriya, were trained in the various aspects of warfare. The business class, the Vaishya, were taught their trade and the working class of the Shoodra was generally deprived of educational advantages. The book of laws, the Manu Smriti etc, and the treatise on statecraft the Arth Shaastra were among the influential works of those days which reflect the outlook and understanding of the world at that time. Then came Buddha Dharm and they built monasteries for their education. They imparted practical education such as medicine. many learning centers were established between 200 BC to 400 AD. The most important centers were Takshashilaa (now in Paakistaan) and Naalandaa. They taught to their students logic, grammar also along with medicine.

Takshashilaa
Takshashilaa, located now in Paakistaan, in Raavalpindee Dstrict, Panjaab Province, was an important Hindu and Buddhist learning center in its own days. In 1980, this town has been declared as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Scattered references show that Takshashilaa may have dated back as far as 5th century BC.

According to Hindu mythology Takshashilaa was inhabited by Taksh, the son of Bharat, Raam's brother. It is mentioned in Mahaabhaarat also. Pareekshit went there.

Before the advent of Islam on Indian soil, India had as many as 20 large universities, some of them which were international in nature and well-known in the world. Some of the prominent ones were Takshashilaa, Naalandaa, Shaaradaa Peeth (in Kashmeer), Vaaraanasee, Kaancheepuram Tamil Naadu), Vallabhee, Vikramshilaa, Jagaddaalaa, Lalit Giri, Phuphaa Giri, Udaya Giri, Odant Puree, Ratna Giri (Odishaa) etc, where students from across the world studied Mathematics, Algebra, Astronomy, Physics, Alchemy, Medicine, Anatomy, Surgery, Literature and a whole lot of other subjects.

As Muslim invaders progressed East across India, these Universities were extinguished one by one starting with Takshashilaa, the largest and the oldest university of the world, to the brutal destruction and burning of Naalandaa by Bakhtiyaar Khilajee in 1193 AD. In turn, none of these benign invaders from Bin Qasim to Kutub-udeen-Aibak to Baabar. Akbar to Aurangzeb to Naadir Shaah instituted a new University or any centre of learning. None of these barbarian invaders and 'Mugal conquerors' promoted science, education and learning and institutionalized learning. They looted India and took away all the wealth they could and said that "Islam is the source of all Knowledge and science which many western Christian leaders procrastinate that Islam is the father of civilization.

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