New Certification for Himalayan Monks Brings Buddhist Education to Global Stage

Thousands of Buddhist monks and nuns in Himalayan monasteries will now receive globally recognized certification from the National Institute of Open Schooling, thanks to a new agreement with the Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Traditions. This initiative aims to boost the recognition and preservation of Nalanda Buddhism.

Buddhist monks and nuns in the Himalayas are set to gain global academic recognition through a new certification from the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). This groundbreaking development comes after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NIOS and the Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Traditions (IHCONBT).

Maling Gompu, General Secretary of IHCONBT, announced that textbooks for Buddhist studies from Class I to XII have been prepared and a curriculum framework developed. The curriculum blends traditional subjects like Buddhist philosophy with Mathematics, Science, English, and Bhoti, and is now recognized by NIOS.

The move is designed to address the previous lack of recognition for Buddhist philosophy taught in monasteries, which sparked insecurity among monks and nuns. With the new certification, concerns over the decline of Nalanda Buddhism are alleviated, and monasteries across India are seeking NIOS affiliation to secure the future of traditional Buddhist education.

(With inputs from agencies.)