Takshashila University 

India has a long and venerable history in the field of education since the time ancient times. During the  ancient times, the country was known to have been home of the oldest formal universities in the world.
The world's first University was established in Takshashila or Taxila or Takshila (now in Pakistan) around 700BC near the coast of river "INDUS". Takshashila was an important centre of Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist learning. It was not a well organized university like Nalanda, which was situated in Bihar. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied there. The campus accommodated   students who came from as far as Babylon, Greece, Arab and China and offered over sixty different courses in various field such as science, mathematics, medicine,politics,warfare,estrology,astronomy,music,religion and philosophy. Generally, a student entered Takshashila at the age of sixteen or even below under certain circumstances. Students  come to Takshashila and take up education in their chosen subject with their teacher directly. They were supposed to pay for their expenses. However, if a student was unable to pay then he could work for his teacher or earn money in any other way he wants. The Vedas and the Eighteen Arts, which included skills such as archery, hunting, and elephant lore, were taught, in addition to its law school, medical school, and school of military science.

Takshashila was specialized in the study of medicine technique known as Ayurveda. Panini, the famous Sanskrit grammarian, Kautilya (Chanakya) and Charaka, the famous physician of ancient India, and Chandragupta Maurya were the results of this unique university. It again gained  importance again during the period of Kanishka. Takshashila is perhaps best known because of its association with "Chanakya".He was known for his teachings in politics and he was the key feature in the reunion of the entire India .The famous treatise Arthashastra (Sanskrit for The knowledge of Economics) by Chanakya, is said to have been composed in Takshashila itself which gained importance in the period of muslim rulers.It is also said that students from neighbouring countries also came here for education.