Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies - CIHTS

About Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies - CIHTS

Central University of Tibetan Studies (CUTS) is located at Sarnath and established in 1967. The university came into existence after the dialogues between Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India and His Holiness the Dalai Lama with a view to educating the young Tibetan Diaspora and those from the Himalayan border regions of India.

Originally, the University was called Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS) and began functioning as a constituent wing of the Sampurnananda Sanskrit University. Eventually, it emerged as an autonomous body in 1977 under the Department of Culture, Ministry of Education, Government of India.

Courses at Central University of Tibetan Studies

Central University of Tibetan Studies Faculties

• Faculty of Hetu and Adhyatma Vidya
• Faculty of Shabda Vidya
• Faculty of Adhunika Vidya
• Faculty of Shilpa Vidya
• Faculty of Sowa Rigpa and Bhot Jyotish Vidya

Central University of Tibetan Studies Departments

• Department of Mool Shastra
• Department of Sampradaya Shastra
• Department of Bon Sampradaya Shastra
• Department of Sanskrit
• Department of Tibetan Languages and Literature
• Department of Classical and Modern Languages
• Department of Social Sciences
• Department of Tibetan Traditional Woodcraft
• Department of Tibetan Traditional Painting
• Department of Sowa Rigpa
• Department of Bhot Jyotish Vidya

Central University of Tibetan Studies Facilities

Library Facilities - the University has a library called Shantarakshita Library (named after a great Indian Bhuddhist scholar Acharya Shantarakshita of the Nalanda University). It is the central library system of Central University of Tibetan Studies, Sarnath Varanasi. It has many information resource centres for scholars of Tibetan and Buddhist studies since the year 1967. Currently, the library possess almost 87000 printed books and xylographs 2000 bound volumes of journals, 7712 electronic documents and 9742 titles of microfiches and films. The library has following sections:-

• Acquisition and Technical Section    
• Tibetan Section
• Multimedia Section
• Periodical, Reference and INFLIBNET Section
• Stack Section 
• Circulation Section
• Computer Section      
• Store and Maintenance Section

Net Facilities - The University provides good Internet facilities to students. University is a member of National Knowledge Network (NKN) of National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NME-ICT), MHRD, and Government of India.

Health Facilities - There is an Allopathic Health Center, situated in the Boys Hostel in University. It has also an independent faculty of Traditional Tibetan Medicinal System named as Sowa Rigpa. The Sowa Rigpa clinic and dispensary is situated in the Sambhot Bhavan (New Academic Block) of the University.

Guest House Facilities - There are two guest houses viz. Nehru Guest House and Anathapindada Guest House located in the University Campus. Nehru Guest House is situated opposite to the administrative building and Anathapindada Guest House is situated opposite the staff quarters.

Sports’ Facilities - The University provides good facilities for football, basketball, badminton and yoga.

Conference Room Facilities - The University also has good facilities for organizing conferences for events and other activities.

• Atisha Hall (Multipurpose hall)
• Conference room in Kamalshila Bhavan
• Conference room in the Shantarakshita Library
• Conference rooms (Two) in the Sambhota Bhavan
• Conference room in Anathapindada Guest House

Central University of Tibetan Studies Achievements

Padma Shri Award - Prof. Geshe Nawang Samten, Vice Chancellor received Padma Shri from the President of India in the fields of Education and Literature on 31 March 2009.