A collaboration extraordinaire for promoting “Monastic Education”

New Delhi: For centuries, the Bhoti language and its literary tradition have been the lifeline of Buddhist philosophy, transmitting wisdom through timeless works by scholars such as Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, and Dharmakirti. 

Classical Sanskrit texts like Meghadūta, Kavyadarsha, Amarkosha, and even the Ramayana found their way into monastic literature, enriching India’s spiritual and philosophical heritage. Yet, despite this intellectual treasure, Buddhist monasteries across the Indian Himalayas long struggled with the absence of a standardised curriculum that could integrate their ancient learning with the modern world.

This challenge is now being addressed in a structured way. In 2024, the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), functioning under the Union Ministry of Education, joined hands with the Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) to initiate a unique program aimed at formalising and giving due recognition to monastic education. 

For the first time, monastic learners, many of them young children living in remote monasteries, will have access to a formal curriculum that is not only recognized by the Indian education system but also rooted deeply in the Nalanda Buddhist tradition.

The timing is significant. India, home to ancient Buddhism, has witnessed an influx of Tibetans since the 1950s. This gave rise to hundreds of new monasteries across the Himalayas. However, the lack of consistent educational structures left monastic students at a disadvantage, particularly when they sought to pursue higher education or opportunities beyond monastic life. At the same time, Beijing’s growing influence along India’s Himalayan frontier has added a geopolitical dimension to the question of monastic learning.

NIOS’s first curriculum for Buddhist monasteries, rolled out this year, explicitly addresses both educational and national identity concerns. It aims to unify fragmented learning systems and, as officials put it, foster patriotism in religious centres located close to the 3,000-km border with China.

"Our effort is to nurture a strong Indian identity alongside Buddhist teachings so that the monasteries in the Himalayas remain beyond China’s influence,” says Maling Gombu, General Secretary of IHCNBT and a key architect of the initiative.

Thousands of children in monasteries across Arunachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand often grow up with little access to recognised schooling. “Children in thousands, who grow up and study in far-flung monasteries, deserve an education that is formally acknowledged and certified by India,” adds Gombu.

The effort has already begun to take root. According to a government document, 25 monasteries along the border have adopted the curriculum, with many more expected to join by the end of the year. About 600 monasteries in total provide training across four streams of Tibetan and Indian Buddhist traditions, but until now their non-religious teachings lacked national recognition.

Rajeev Kumar Singh, Director (Academics), NIOS led the five-year-long curriculum development effort gives the rationale behind the move and says, “The non-religious education taught by monks or nuns is not acknowledged outside monasteries.”  

According to him, the new system would allow both Indian and Tibetan students to integrate into the broader academic framework of India. 

“It is widely admitted that they (Tibetans) are free to learn Tibetan history and their tradition, however,  they should learn about India as they reside here and require proper education to secure jobs outside monasteries,” adds Singh. 

The collaboration has yielded a structured Bodh Darshan curriculum at the elementary, secondary, and senior secondary levels.

“We have developed comprehensive Bodh Darshan curriculum with support from the IHCNBT with an aim to bridge the gap. We aim to promote monastic education through the perspectives of the Nalanda tradition,” expounds the NIOS Director. 

This framework integrates Buddhist philosophy, ethics, textual traditions, and meditation with modern subjects. Students will now learn about the Buddha’s life and teachings, the evolution of Buddhism, and India’s role as the cradle of Buddhist thought. At the same time, the curriculum equips them with tools for higher education and employment.

Around 132 monasteries across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, North Bengal, and Arunachal Pradesh have already been accredited by NIOS as educational centers, enrolling nearly 10,000 learners. For the first time, monastic students will graduate with qualifications recognized by the Indian state while preserving the intellectual heritage of Nalanda.

The impact of this initiative goes beyond academics. It strengthens India’s cultural influence in a sensitive border region, reclaims the narrative of Buddhist education from external powers, and ensures that future generations of monks and nuns grow up with a dual identity: faithful guardians of Nalanda’s tradition and proud citizens of India.

In essence, this collaboration is more than an educational reform, it is a statement of cultural resilience and national integration. By bridging the ancient with the modern, and the spiritual with the strategic, India has ensured that its monasteries remain vibrant centers of both Buddhist learning and patriotic pride.