ABOUT US
NOTICE BOARD
legacy of Glorious 56 Years
Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarnath in Varanasi is a Government-Central ‘deemed to be university’ established under section 3 of the UGC Act 1956. The Institute, being a residential one, is fully funded by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was established as a special wing of Sampurnanand Sanskrit University in 1967, was inaugurated by H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama in 1968, and was declared ‘deemed to be University’ in 1988. Unique among universities in India, the Institute was established with a noble mission informed by a rich religious and philosophical tradition embedded in the ancient Nalanda School of Buddhism. The Institute emerged in 1967 from the critical struggle of the Tibetan diaspora, like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes. The lush green 29-acre campus is in Sarnath, a few minutes from Deer Park, where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Conceived as an educational haven for the Tibetan youth in exile and the students from the Himalayan region, CIHTS has today been recognized as one of the best institutes of Buddhism and Indo-Tibetan Studies. The Institute enjoys the most coveted ‘A’ grade status by NAAC, conferred in 2022. Considering the success and importance of the Institute, in 2018, the Govt. of India honoured CIHTS with the Vaishak Prashasti Award.
True to its vision and mission, CIHTS took the weighty responsibility upon its shoulders to preserve, translate, disseminate and revive Nalanda’s rich tradition of various religious, philosophical and intellectual discourses. Besides striving for excellence and constant academic rigour, the academic life at CIHTS is a vibrant mix of the colours and hues of Tibetan and Indian culture. The campus’s state-of-the-art architecture and cutting-edge facilities allow the students to indulge in high learning and research furnished with all the modern amenities. The learning environment at the campus is vibrant, research-oriented, and fully supported by a robust teaching, learning, and research mechanism.
CIHTS offers a myriad bouquet of options to students at all academic levels, right from secondary school level (Purva Madhyama and Uttar Madhyama) to Undergraduate (Shastri), Postgraduate (Acharya) up to the highest rung in the ladder for PhD (Vidyavaridi). The Institute offers direct admission in Purva Madhayama (9thstandard) in Buddhist Philosophy, Uttar Madhayama (11th standard) in Bhot Jyotish and Uttar Madhayama (11) in Traditional Fine Arts at Pre-University Level; Shastri (B.A.) in Buddhist Philosophy, Shastri in Bhot Jyotish,Shastri in Fine Arts, Shiksha Shastri (2 Year B.Ed.), Shiksha Shastri (4 year B.A.B.Ed.), Bachelor of Sowa-Rigpa Medicine and Surgery (B.S.R.M.S. 5 Year) at UG level; Acharya (PG) in Buddhist Philosophy, Acharya Tibetan Language and Literature, Acharya Tibetan History and Culture, Acharya Bhot Jyotish and Master of Fine Arts at PG Level. The Institute also offers PhD programmes in disciplines like Baudh Dharshan, Bon Shastra, Tibetan History and Culture, Medical Science (Sowa-Rigpa), Fine Arts, and Restoration.
- PRESS RELEASE
- TENDER
- ANNOUNCEMENT
- JOB NOTIFICATION
1. Buddhist Philosophy
2. Buddhist Tourism
3. History of Indian Buddhism
INSTITUTIONAL COLLABORATION
oUR HIGHLIGHTS
CIHTS AT A GLANCE
1967
Inception
5
Faculties
13
Teaching Departments
95
Faculty Members
13
Academic Programmes
20
Academic Courses
520
Students
What the world is saying about us...
Two generations of Tibetan and Indian scholars at CIHTS have worked together on literary research resulting in significant publications in Tibetan, Sanskrit, and Hindi. Many of their books concern writing of the scholars of the glorious Nalanda Tradition.
The uniqueness of this Institute is that the entire ancient Indian Buddhist traditions preserved in Tibet for more than thousand years in four major schools as well as the tradition of Bon, the pre-Buddhist wisdom of Tibet, are placed in one centre of learning. The Institute has developed skillfully .
Central Tibetan Administration
50 years have passed since His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru founded the Institute in 1967 with the prime purpose of preserving and promoting the unique language, religion and culture of Tibet, also shared by Tibet's neighboring Himalayan communities.
Professor of Philosophy, Logic and Buddhist Studies, Smith College, USA
“We are now the oldest academic exchange linking the Tibetan academic community to Western institutions. During this time over 400 American and Australian students have studied at CIHTS, and over two - dozen Tibetan students have earned degrees in American and Australian universities.”
President, Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies, USA
“CIHTS has set the gold standard for higher education and research in the Fields of Tibetan culture, religion, philosophy, and mind science. By providing instruction based not only on original Tibetan literature but also Sanskrit, Pā li, and other Indic languages , it firmly established Tibetan Buddhism in the fertile soil of the Nalanda tradition.”
Research Professor , Deakin University , Australia
“From a small group of students led by Professor Samdhong Rinpoche, to a government - funded institute for Tibetan Studies, to a university with several faculties and a successful record of graduating students, CIHTS has pioneered the study of Tibetan religion, philosophy, and culture in India and has provided an excellent environment for research and collaboration for a generation of scholars from around the world.”
Professor of Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies University of California, Santa Barbara , USA
“Tibetan cultural sciences including medicine, grammar and poetics, and history. CIHTS’ productive professoriate and research staff have made important contributions to many aspects of Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, and its alumni occupy important positions in India and abroad.”
Professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology Boston College, USA
“My time at CIHTS has continued to inspire and inform all my work ever since -- in academic Buddhist studies, comparative theology and religion, and in exploring ways of adapting Buddhist practices of compassion for secular and interfaith contexts. I am grateful for all that was offered to me at CIHTS.”
Professor, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow , Russia
“In comparison with the system of Western education, this system relies more on the development of memory and the internalization of knowledge, and the transformation of knowledge into a part of personal experience.”
NEWS & EVENTS
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
NAAC AWARDS THE ESTEEMED ‘ A ’ GRADE TO CIHTS
STUDENT COMMUNITY BRINGS LAURELS IN VARIOUS SPORTS EVENTS
CIHTS organizes Commemoration of Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Divas Turning the Wheel of Dhamma in collaboration with International Buddhist Confederation, New Delhi
CTE ORGANIZES A TWO WEEK ICSSR SPONSORED CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME
CIHTS IN PRESS & MEDIA
OUR SOCIAL FEED
CIHTS Social Feed
CIHTS Activity
CIHTS IN PRESS & MEDIA
