Nalanda – The First University of India

Abstract

The ancient Indian Education started with the First University of the world in Takshashila. Takshashila University, from 5century BCE to 7 century AD, was succumbed to, many attacks, and started to losing the importance of its existence. The teachers and scholars realized that their education would not last. Then they decided to move to other parts of the world, to maintain the education intact. The tradition of teaching continued with the starting of Nalanda, during the king Chandragupta Maurya, of Maurya dynasty. An attempt is made in this article regarding the beginning, the admission, teaching – learning methods, key factors of its sustainability and decline.