MoU Signing

Signing of MoU Between NIOS, Ministry of Education, Govt. of India and IHCNBT, Delhi at CIBS, Choglamsar, Leh-Ladakh on 27 th May 2022 at 10:30 AM.

Minute to Minute Program

Chief Guest: Sh. Ajeet Kumar Sahu, IASCommissioner/Secretary, Dept. of Education, Govt. of Ladakh UT, Leh-Ladakh

Report

The program of Signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) started with Lighting of Lamp and Mangalcharan by monks on 27 th May 2022 at Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), Choglamsar, Leh- Ladakh.

The Chief Guest and other dignitaries were offered the traditional welcome Khatak and presented momentos by IHCNBT and also by NIOS.

Sh. Maling Gombu, General Secretary extended the welcome address and told that the objective of this Agreement is to launch and conduct courses in Bhoti language and Boudh Darshan along with modern education at Open Basic Education (Primary & Middle), Secondary and Senior Secondary designed IHCNBT and NIOS education board through the Open Schooling System operated by NIOS Education Board. This work of MOU will provide recognition to the Monastic education in the Buddhist Monasteries with Bhoti language and Boudh Darshan subjects with modern education.

Collaboration between the Parties will pave the way for integration of the Monastic education of Buddhist Monasteries and Recognition of Monastic education of Buddhist Monasteries at Elementary, Secondary and Senior Secondary levels as per the New Education Policy 2020 from the Academic Year 2022-23 for the benefit of Monastic community of Monks. IHCNBT will collaborate with NIOS to develop an appropriate curriculum for the courses for the Monastic Education with Bhoti language and Boudh Darshan with modern education as per the NEP 2020 and continuously improve the same to ensure imparting of appropriate Knowledge in Buddhist Monasteries/Schools.

The Chairperson of NIOS Prof. Saroj Sharma said NIOS is for reaching the unreached and bridging the gap and working for non-conventional sector of education. This MOU is a very important development in the Buddhist studies knowledge system. NIOS will work with IHCNBT for the development of curriculum and start the course in the monasteries. This will also help even at international level as these courses can be used by other countries like Mongolia, Nepal, Bhutan etc. through the diaspora studies system. NIOS is also working as per the guidelines given in the New Education Policy 2020 introduced by the Govt. after a very long time. NIOS is also has launched 103 Vocational courses for entrepreneurship development of students. She told that Minister of Education has also expressed happiness at the initiative and he would like to discuss and add more things and final launch shall be made by the Hon’ble Minister somewhere in Sept. or October 2022.

H.E. TK Lochen Rinpoche, President, IHCNBT spoke and welcomed the interest shown by NIOS in developing and recognising the Bhoti language and Bodh Darshan courses under the NIOS education system. He told that Bhoti language is very important for Buddhist culture and this is for all across the Himalayan region that is strategically very important. That at the borders the Buddhist people are very loyal and patriotic towards the country and this is due to the Buddhist culture for which it is very important to give recognition to teachings of Bodh darshan and bhoti language. This step of MOU and work will help and further the cause of Bhoti language and its inclusion in the 8 th Schedule of Constitution of India.

The MOU was signed between IHCNBT represented by Sh. Maling Gombu and NIOS represented by Sh. Pradeep Kumar Singh, Secretary, NIOS in the august presence of the Chief Guest: Sh. Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Commissioner/Secretary, Dept of Education, Govt. of Ladakh UT, Leh Ladakh and Chairperson, NIOS, Prof. Saroj Sharma and President, IHCNBT, His Eminence T.K Lochen Rinpoche, Mrs Bhawna Dhyani, Dir, Dr. Tarun Punia, Regional Director, Jammu NIOS and Dr. Kanchan Bala, Training Officer, President, LBA Sh. Thupstan Chhewang, President, Gonpa Association Acharya Tenzin Wangtak, Former President, All Ladakh Gonpa Association, Ven. Shatup Jampa la, Sh. Tashi Ram, AO, CIBS, Choglamsar, Ven. Geshe Lama Chopshel Zotpa, Vice President, IHCNBT, Ven. Lama Yangjor, Vice President, LBA and other host of dignitaries and monastic members.

The Chief Guest Sh. Ajeet Kumar Sahu, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary expressed his happiness on signing of the MOU and said that this will help the monasteries as NIOS is a recognised National Education Board like CBSE and this will give recognition to the studies in the monasteries and this will also entitle the monasteries for the support from the Govt. and that the certificates will be valid world over. He also said that CIBS Leh has been facing problem with the recognition with Sampuranand University and this Course by NIOS can also help CIBS. With this initiative the literacy rate in Ladakh will also increase as the people know Bhoti language and their literacy on Bhoti will also be recognised. He appreciated the efforts of IHCNBT and NIOS for the important work that was overdue for a long time.

Sh. Thupstan Chhewang, President, INCNBT, Ladakh Chapter extended the Vote of thanks for the program and thanked the Chief Guest and Prof. Saroj Sharma and NIOS team and H.E TK Lochen Rinpoche and IHCNBT team and all the dignitaries for the great initiative and taking time to attend the program and make it successful. He said that this MOU will help the monasteries studies and told that the people of the Himalayan region has been demanding and working for last 30 years for inclusion of Bhoti language in the 8 th Schedule of the Constitution and this will help in that direction. He said that Bhoti is spoken and used in the entire Himalayan region and it is very important for our culture and rich heritage.

Report of Monasteries Meeting Cum Workshop at Dharma Centre, Ladakh on 26th May 2022.

The meeting Cum Workshop on the implementation of the course on Bhoti language and Bodh Darshan along with modern education was held at Dharma Centre, All LadakhGonpa Association, Ladakh on 26th May 2022 at 10.30 am in the presence of H.E. TK Lochen Rinpoche, President, IHCNBT, Sh. MalingGombu, General Secretary, IHCNBT, President All LadakhGonpa association and President, Ladakh Buddhist Association and 24 monasteries head.

Sh. MalingGombu, addressed the Monastic community and told about the new education curriculum specially developed with NIOS for the monasteries with focus on the Monastic education with modern education and its recognition and certification under the NIOS education Board.

The meeting was addressed by H.E TK Lochen Rinpoche who explained how important and beneficial the new curriculum recognised by NIOS. He also told the His Holiness the Dalai lama wants the monasteries to be developed as centre of learning even for the lay population. So, the monasteries can have lay population also be admitted under the new curriculum as this would be recognised on par with the Govt school education. This will strengthen the buddhist education amongst the lay population also as the monks are reducing in number in todays time.

The meeting was also addressed by Ven. Geshe lama ChosphelZotpa, Vice President, IHCNBT who explained the education curriculum and how it will benefit the monks. That the monasteries can come together in clusters also and work out the running of the school.

The President, LBA also spoke on the occasion and told that this will be very helpful for the monasteries and further education. He asked the monasteries to avail of the course for the development of the monastic education.

S. ShatupJampa, President, All LadakhGonpa Association also spoke and told that it is very important for the monks to have the curriculum and strengthen the education in monasteries with modern education. The course under CIBS Leh can be coordinated and taken up further with the other support continuing and additional support required for proper education.

All the Heads of the monasteries also gave their introduction and told about the monastery and their present education and number monks studying and how this will be helpful. All of them said that they would discuss with the monastic committee and come forward for the implementation.

The list of Monasteries who attended is below as per the list. This includes all the monasteries in Ladakh UT.

List of Gonpa/Monsteries, Zanskar

Sub-Division- Padum, Zanskar,UT- Ladakh

List of Gonpa/Monsteries Leh District UT, Ladakh

The meeting ended with Vote of thanks by Ven. ShatupJampa Lama, President, AllLadakhGonpa association.

The expenditure statement will be submitted soon as some bills are to be settled and awaited from Ladakh.

Outcome:

This step will now remove the inequality and deprivation in monastic education for the monastic community as now Bhoti will be a recognised language subject and Bodh Darshan as subject of study along with modern education of Maths, Science, Social Science, History, Computer science, Hindi, Sanskrit and English under the NIOS education board which is one of the recognised education Boards in India.

This education in the monasteries will now make the career upgradation and make the monks also capable to compete in any examination and develop their learning in Buddhist studies and monastic affairs. This will now make the monastic education also attractive and help in further promotion of making the monasteries also as centre of learning.

The MOU is signed in the august presence of the Chairperson, NIOS, SmtiSarita Sharma and President, IHCNBT, His Eminence T.K Lochen Rinpoche and other Revered Rinpoches H.E Thiksey Rinpoche, H.E Tokden Rinpoche, H.E Thuksey Rinpoche, President, LBA Sh. ThupstanChhewang, President, All LadakhGonpa Association, Ven. ShatupJampa la.

COURSES FOR WHICH MOU IS SIGNED