Merits and demerits of vedic system of education
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What were the disadvantages of studying in Gurukula in the Vedic period?
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THANATASSA | CERTIFIED EDUCATOR
Whether you consider the nature of gurukula or schools run as communities headed by gurus (also known as ashrams) as advantages or disadvantages for the pupils really depends on your point of view. Before the advent of British rule, these were the major types of schools in India and an essential part of the Hindu tradition.
The students (shishya) in the school did not pay fees but did chores around the schools such as washing and cooking and cleaning. Rich and poor students, because they did not pay fees, were treated equally. The facilities were generally quite minimalistic, as the students were expected to be learning to do without luxuries. During their time at school, students were separated from their families and placed under the strict authority of the guru leading the school. Whether you consider this sort of austerity and hard work an advantage or disadvantage really depends on whether you think that children should learn to work hard and take care of themselves or not.
Another disadvantage is that the quality of the school depends to a great degree on the individual guru; it isn't monitored by some sort of independent authority, which can lead to the abuse of power
the merit is
1. It paid the greatest attention to the child's physical and mental development.
2. It was conscious of the development of the child's character.
3. The Gurukulas were situated at a distance from inhabited areas so as to prevent excessive contact between students and society.
4. In the teacher's house, there was an abundance of family feeling. Students did not suffer from the lack of any familial necessity.
5. The teachers imparted education without any discrimination.
Answer:
There is another disadvantage not frequently discussed. In the Gurukul system in ancient India, the teaching was imparted by a single teacher or his cohorts. Because of that pupils were able to learn only a single line of expertise or they learnt limited number of disciplines. This type of teaching lacked the following:
interdisciplinary studies - pupils were learning only one craft and that too up to the level of knowledge of the Guru
Knowledge sharing across difference disciplines to further augment knowledge on disciplines were lacking. Unless a king or a patron was interested, something what we call conferences / symposiums in modern day did not happen in ancient times
To address these problems, in Europe, the University of Bologna was established in 1088 AD. That university system brought experts from various fields in a single place, increasing interactions between them that resulted into knowledge sharing and research. These interactions also helped in developing what is defined as scientific and research methodologies that made testing the veracity of existing knowledge.