Definition of Education

We can understand the real essence of education by reading and grasping the gist of any of the following explanations: 

1. The act or process of education that leads a person to better understanding of the situations in his life. 

2. The process of imparting and acquiring knowledge and training to grow one‘s intellectual and mental capabilities, so as to make mature decisions in different situations. 

3. The learning process by which any knowledge can be obtained. 

4. An enlightening experience 

Since time immemorial, education is estimated as the right road to progress and prosperity. Different educationists‘ thoughts from both Eastern and Western side have explained the term ‗education‘ according to the need of the hour. Various educationists have given their views on education. Some important definitions are: 

The Concepts of Education as given by prominent Indian educationists are as follows. 

1 "Education is something which makes man self-reliant and selfless"- Rigved 

2 "Education is for liberation"- Upanishad 

3 "Nothing is more purifying on earth than wisdom."- Bhagavad Gita 

4 "Education is the realization of self‖- Shankaracharya 

5 "Education is self-realization and service to people"- Gunrunner 

6 "Education means training of the country and love of the nation"- Kautilya 

7 "Human education means the training which one gets from nature"- Panini 

"By education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in man – body, mind and spirit." - Mahatma Gandhi 

"Education enables the mind to find out the ultimate truth, which gives us the wealth of inner light and love and gives significance to life."- Rabindranath Tagore 

"Education is the process of the individual mind, getting to its full possible development."- Dr. Zakir Husain 

"Education is the manifestation of divine perfection already existing in man."- Swami Vivekananda 

"Education is the creation of sound mind in a sound body."- Aristotle 

"Education is the development of the whole man". - Comenius 

"Education is the child‘s development from within."- Rousseau 

"Education is complete living."- Herbert Spencer 

"Education is the developing morality". - Herbart 

"Education is the capacity to feel pleasure and pain at the right moment."- Plato

"Education is natural, harmonious and progressive development of man‘s innate powers."- Pestalozzi 

"Education is enfoldment of what is already enfolded in the germ."- Froebel 

"Education is the complete development of the individuality of the child."- T.P. Nunn 

"Education is the process of living through a continuous reconstruction of experiences."- John Dewey 

"Education is the enabling the individual to be a producer as well as a good citizen‖ - Nehru 

"Education is a liberating force and, in our age, it is also a democratizing force, cutting across the barriers of caste and class, smoothing out inequalities imposed by birth and other circumstances."- Indira Gandhi 

John Locke said, "Plants are developed by cultivation and men by education". 

This world would have been enveloped in intellectual darkness if it had not been illuminated by the light of education. It is right to say that the story of civilization is the story of education. Thus, education is an integral part of human life. It is the basic condition for a development of a whole man and vital instrument for accelerating the wellbeing and prosperity by the light of education.