Nava Nalanda Mahavihara - NNM

About Nava Nalanda Mahavihara - NNM

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM) is a Deemed Residential University. NNM started as Magadh Institute of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Pali and Allied Languages and Buddhist Learning in Nalanda in the year 1951. The institute, as an idea was initiated by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of the Republic of India. The idea was further promoted at the insistence of Ven. Bhikshu Jagdish Kashyap and with this goal in mind; the Government of Bihar established this research institute. Nalanda had been an ancient seat of learning and a religious centre that imparted manifold knowledge. It existed in ancient Magadha (presently, Bihar and parts of Bengal, Orissa) between the fifth century AD to twelve century AD. The contribution of the Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda in the development of Buddhist education is widely recognized. Many great Acharyas of Nalanda had helped in dissemination of knowledge and Buddhist culture throughout the world. The inspiration behind the establishment of this institute was to develop a centre of Higher Studies in Pali and Buddhism along the lines of ancient Nalanda Mahavihara. Soon, the foundation stone of the first building was laid on 20^th November, 1951. It was later that it came to be known as Nava Nalanda Mahavihara.

Ven. Bhikshu Jagdish Kashyap became the Founder-Director of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, and continued in that capacity until February 1955. One of his major accomplishments was the complete publication, in 41 volumes, of a critical edition of the entire PaliTipitaka in Devanagari script. It was very popular and quickly went out of print. On 13^th November, 2006, the University Grant Commission accorded the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda the status of a Deemed to be University.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda employs bi-annual evaluation programmes in the respective courses at both Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate levels. End-Semester Examinations, at the end of every six months, are usually held during the months of May and December and are validated by a Written Examination and Internal Assessments. The university also conducts Entrance Examinations/ Proficiency Tests for admissions to all courses once in a year (May/June). Moreover, a Research Entrance Test (RET) for every academic session is conducted in the month of December for the admission in PhD courses.

Location - The present campus of the Mahavihara is some 100 kms. from the metropolis of Patna, situated on the southern bank of the historical lake Indrapuskarani. Close to the northern bank lie the ruins of the ancient University of Nalanda.

Nava Nalanda Mahavihara Departments

• Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology
• Buddhist Studies
• Chinese and Japanese
• English
• Hindi
• Pali
• Philosophy
• Sanskrit
• Tibetan Studies

NNM Facilities

Hostel - Hostel accommodation is provided on the basis of the availability of seats in hostels. The University has three Hostels for students.

1. Shantarakshita Hostel - 100 Bedded
2. Shilabhadra Arama - 50 Bedded
3. Shantideva International Hostel - 48 Bedded

The hostel has a set of kitchens and dining rooms. Electricity, drinking water and other necessary amenities are also available.

Library - The total strength of NNM Library collection is 60,000 books including a number of Xylographic Tibetan manuscripts and some rare manuscripts along with gratis books. It is housed in a two storied building, known as the Library Building, consisting of sixteen research cubicles with two large halls on either side. The Library subscribes to International research journals and periodicals related to Indology and Buddhist learning. The library has  a rich collection whose collection has been enriched by the personal libraries of renowned Buddhist scholars like Dr. R.B. Mukherjee, Dr. Nalinkash Dutta, Dr. Nathmal Tatia, Prof. C.S. Upasak, Prof. Krishna Narayan Prasad Magadh, Prof. Siyaram Tiwari, Prof. D.K. Barua etc. which is the  special feature of NNM Library. The U.S. Government has also donated a good number of books to the library. Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan and South Korea too have donated complete sets of the Tipitaka published in their respective scripts, and other miscellaneous works to the Mahavihara.

Publications - Publication is an important tool for projecting research and teaching material and is integral part of an educational institution. The Mahavihara undertakes various long and short term projects. Short-term projects include Doctoral Student's Research, and publication of research volumes and monographs by the staff members and research scholars. Long-term projects include publication of Pali texts which are not yet published in Devanagari script, Hindi translation of the Pali Tipitaka, cataloguing, critical decipherment and publication of manuscripts. The compilation work of a Pali-Hindi Dictionary, first of its kind in India, has been started and is in progress. The Mahavihara published the entire Pali Tipitaka with the publication of Pali-Hindi Dictionary vol. I part I that was released by H. E. the President of India on 2nd May, 2007. And some commentaries in Devanagari script were published for the first time in the early 1950's. Eight Nava Nalanda Mahavihara Research Volumes have been further published. A section of other publications related to Buddhism have been published as well. The scope of research and publications include Pali literature, Sanskrit-Buddhist texts, Tibetan texts, Buddhist Philosophy, cultural, social and religious history of Buddhist countries of South-east Asia and other topics related to Buddhism.

Admission for Foreign Students - Foreign Students Applications is nominated by the Government of India under scholarship scheme and self-financing foreign nationals shall be entertained for the offered courses. They shall not be subject to the Under-graduate Entrance Test/Proficiency Test, provided they have passed the equitable qualifying examination from a foreign University/Institution. If a foreign national has passed the equivalent qualifying examination from an Indian University/Institution he/she shall have to qualify the Entrance Test.

A provision to the extent of 15% supernumerary seats for foreign national shall be made for admission in the various courses available in Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, provided they fulfil the following conditions:

• That the applications of scholarship holding foreign nationals (under various schemes) are routed through Indian Council for Cultural Relations/Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education), Government of India.
• That they have valid residential permit/visa for the prescribed duration of the concerned course
• That they antecedents of the candidate have been verified by the forwarding Agencies/Ministry and found in order
• That they have adequate knowledge of English and/or Hindi as per requirements of the course
• That the degree/certificates of the candidates have been approved by the Association of Indian University (AIU)/Commonwealth University/International Association of Universities (IAU) as equivalent to the corresponding degrees /certificate of the AIU
• In addition to the normal charges, a foreign national shall also pay the prescribed tuition fee and other University fees (which may differ from course to course) at the time of admission. Such fees, thus fixed for and to be realized from the Government nominated and self-financing candidates shall be paid in US Dollar (US$) or Indian currency shall be decided by the NNM from time to time.
• Since candidates under supernumerary quota shall be from different foreign nationals, the inter-se merit as decided by the Admission Committee of the NNM shall be deemed as final
• Only the degrees/certificates recognized by AIU shall be deemed as equivalent degree

Computer Laboratory – It can accommodate 25 Students and is fully air conditioned. It also provides Internet and audio-visual facilities.

Sports - Facilities are available for the both indoor and outdoor Sports in the campus. The University also has a boat club where facilities for the Water sports are available from October to March every year.

Elocution and Debate - As per the conventions of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara, NNM emphasises and encourages its students to participate in regular elocutions and debates, to enrich their abilities of oratory and judgement.

Conference Room - It is well equipped with a multimedia projection screen and can accommodate a large gathering.