Vedic Education Vs Modern Macaulay's Education

Decisions go wrong, and there is nothing wrong about it.

When one way doesn’t work for us, we change it to other. We choose the other way. But eventually when we find that the other way too is not much effective, we get frustrated, and instead of finding out which way was better, we curse the Way 2 and feel that Way 1 was better. Things are happening the same way in education, especially when people praise ‘Vedic Education System’ and curse ‘The New Education System’ brought by Lord Macaulay.

Both have their pros and cons, and for that matter, every education system has. Education system cannot be changed from A to B. It has to evolve from A to better A to Best A. But if asked which one is better in the cases of Vedic Education and the new Macaulay education, we should look for the one which has lesser cons.

Vedic Education system was hidden, or let’s say, was forgotten by the people of India till the rise of the new Hindutva or the right winged extremism. Why suddenly people started finding a better alternative in Education in the form of Vedic System? It has something to do with present Socio-Political situations. According to m, Vedic Education has the cons that would stop a generations growth.

1)    Vedic Education system emphasized upon ‘learning by heart’ and not by finding the universal reasoning for anything. Students, studying in Ashramas, were taught about the Vedas without questioning them. This is SANATAN way of education. The word SANATAN stands for things that has no birth and are prevailed in the society since ages. Better way to understand is, SANATAN means something given by GOD and not to be challenge. For me, the real education starts in challenging the wrongs and finding what the truth is. For example: There are many pundits who teach their current generation about Pooja Path, about how to take Satya Narayan Puja and all. They teach them about the rituals and the methods. But the student is not supposed to ask any question that will put the teacher in dilemma. The student is not supposed to ask any question that arouses his rational thinking, universal reasoning. 2)    Vedic Education was confined only for a particular stratum of the society. For example: In Vedic Era, only Brahmins were allowed to teach only to Brahmins. So who will be educated? Only Brahmins. What about other strata of the society? Shudras were not the part of this education system. So, it would be very right to say, that Vedic Education System did not believe in inclusiveness. Not everybody was included in the system. On the other hand, those who wanted to be a part of system, were sidelined by cruel intentions. For example: How Eklavya was thrown out of the competition by the Guru Drona. On the other hand, Macaulay’s education system brought all the members of the society together in the mainstream education, proposed special facilities for those who couldn’t afford it. 3)    The entire concept of Vedas is put into the culture for making mental slaves. Manusmirti was also written in the times of Vedas, and can be called as one of the Vedic Literature. But, it criticizes women calling women good for nothing but for taking care of the families. There are many objectionable things written about women and untouchables in Manusmriti. How can we say that such Vedic Literature is to be accepted in today’s era? Manusmiriti classified people and pave the road of RACISM and CASTISM in Indian Soil. Now people who defend Vedas will says that Varna System was for division of labour, but my question will be if it was for division of labour, why there is no history or literature that talked about a Shudra becoming a Brahmin. So, it is very much clear that Vedas talk not about division of labour, but division of laborers.   4)    Lack of rational thinking, lack of inquisitiveness is also one of the characteristics of Vedic Education. 5)    It is said that Vedic Education System talked about Wisdom. But to reach wisdom, one has to go through following steps: Data – Information – Knowledge - Wisdom But when the very first step of Knowledge relies much on some supernatural element, or on some element whose existence has not been proved yet, and will not be proved, the last step of wisdom becomes mere a dream.   5) Vedic Education system was closed. Completely closed. Data limited. Authenticity of the data was not verified. Conclusions were not checked and verified under different variables. May be that's why there wasn't any Issac Newton produced by Vedic Education.  When we have so many flows, which if accepted in today's generation would create a wide disparity amongst social classes and would create 'by heart learners', calling Vedic Education System as an alternative to Macaulay's Education System wouldn't be a nice idea.  I know Macaulay's education system too wasn't good as it, according to most of us, created clerks. But still Macaulay's education system believes in equality, liberty and the most important, in rationality. We cannot finalize an education system, it has to evolve with evolving times.