Varanasi City
Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies, commonly known as the Tibetan University is located at Sarnath.

Varanasi : Education : Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies

Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies

Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies was established with the philosophy of imparting education in Tibetan Studies with a preference for the traditional Tibetan method of teaching within an innovative framework of modern universities, comprising time-bound courses of study, written examinations and award of degrees. The institute is situated in the serene and beautiful surroundings of Sarnath. The Institute is mainly research-oriented and seeks to mould through its teaching departments students turning into suitably qualified persons capable of undertaking works of research and restitution in concurrence with the fundamental objectives of the organization. The curriculum of courses have been so drawn as to provide the students with sound footings in traditional subjects of Tibetology, while enabling them to be fully conversant with modern subjects and research methodology.

The Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies earlier functioned as a special constituent wing of the Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Varanasi. The Institute was registered under the Societies Registration Act in the end of 1977 to operate as an autonomous organization under the Department of Culture, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Ever since, the Institute has gradually progressed with optimal success. With considerable growth in its infrastructure and academic excellence, the Department of Culture initiated a proposal for the Institute to give it a Deemed University Status. The Institute was finally declared as a "Deemed to be University" in 1988.