Overview

Central Tibetan Schools administration is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India established in 1961 with the objective to establish, manage and assist schools in India for the education of Tibetan Children living in India while preserving and promoting their culture and heritage.

As on 31st March 2008 there were 71 schools spread all over India, Including Senior Secondary , Middle , Primary and Pre-Primary schools and grant-in-aid schools with 9755 students on rolls . The broad objectives of the Administration are:-

• To establish and carry out the Administration and Management of the Central schools for Tibetans in India for the education and training of Tibetan children.
• To control and supervise education, discipline, board and lodging, health and hygiene and general progress of the students and staff in CTSA Schools.
• To get affiliation of the schools with any association, society or body which conducts public examinations for the purpose of preparing the students for such examinations.
• To build, construct and maintain hostels, schools or other buildings and to provide and equip the same for the use to which each building is to be put up to.
• To give loans, scholarships, free ships, prizes, monetary and other assistance to the students of the school under the Administration to help them in their studies.
• To start, conduct, print, publish and exhibit magazines, periodicals and newspapers, pamphlets that may be considered desirable for the promotion of the objects of the Administration.

Salient Features of CTSA

The following are some of the salient features of the Central Schools for Tibetans:

• Central Schools for Tibetans are located at places that have a sizeable population of Tibetans. Most of these schools are located in hilly and far-flung areas.
• The medium of instruction in these schools from Pre-primary to Class V is Tibetan and English from Class VI to XII. However, Hindi is taught as a compulsory subject from Class VI to VIII and is optional from class IX onwards.
• The schools follow 10+2 system of Education.
• Central Schools for Tibetans prepare students for All India Secondary School Examination (X) and All India Senior School Certificate Examination (XII) conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi.
• CTSA has six Residential schools upto +2 stage at Mussoorie, Dalhousie, Shimla, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Mundgod with hostel facility for both boys and girls.
• Free education is imparted to the Tibetan students right from Pre-Primary to Class XII.
• Common Annual Examination for Class V, VIII, IX, and XI are conducted to ensure uniformity in educational achievements. Pre-Board examinations for classes X and XII are also conducted to familiarize the students with the Board Question pattern.
• Central Schools for Tibetans impart quality education. Emphasis is, however, laid on preserving and promoting the ancient Tibetan Culture and Heritage.
• Students compulsorily get training in Tibetan music and folk dance. Co-curricular activities for all the students from Class I to XII are conducted compulsorily.
• Tailoring is compulsory for girls and woodcraft is compulsory for boys from class VI to X in Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools.
• Vocational Education at the +2 stage is imparted at Central School for Tibetans, Mundgod. Presently, three Commerce based Vocational Courses i.e. Stenography (English), Auditing & Accountancy and Purchasing & Store Keeping are available in this school.

Programme and Policies of C.T.S.A

One of the broad objectives of this Administration is to preserve and promote Tibetan Culture, Traditions and Heritage. CTSA has been making determined efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan Culture and Heritage by conducting the following short term and long-term programmes

• In CTSA schools, each school conducts variety of Co-curricular programmes on Tibetan culture viz. Tibetan folk dance and group dance, community singing, group songs, skit, one act play etc. These programmes of literary and cultural activities are also organized at Regional level and thereafter at Central Level.
• In order to create awareness about ancient Tibetan culture, exhibitions are organized from time to time at school level.
• In all CTSA Schools, Tibetan Language is taught from Pre-Primary to Class XII.
• Tibetan Music & Dance Teachers play a pivotal role in organization of Cultural programmes.
• Department of Education of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, C.T.A. Dharamshala provides literature on Tibetan History and Culture.
• Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Samath, Varanasi extends help in conducting courses for Tibetan teachers to promote Tibetan Culture & Heritage.
• The Education Department of His Holiness The Dalai Lama., C.T.A. Dharamshala, deputes experts to give talks on Tibetan Culture to the trainee teachers during In-service Courses conducted by CTSA.
• CTSA New Delhi publishes Annual trilingual journal (English, Tibetan & Hindi) inter-alia with Writings on Tibetan culture, tradition and heritage.
• Tibetan is the medium of instruction up to primary level (from Pre-primary to V) in all schools of CTSA including grant in aid schools.
• To encourage and motivate Indian teachers there exists a scheme of incentive for acquiring proficiency in Tibetan Language.
• A post of Rector exists in all residential schools to supervise the School Hostel. They help in organizing and supervising the cultural activities in the school and monitoring the discipline among the students in the Hostel. They also assist the Institutional heads in day to day Administration of the school.
• Recorded cassettes of speeches and community songs for morning assembly have been provided to all the schools to keep the spirit of culture alive.
• Various infrastructural facilities have been provided to all CTSA schools under Plan Budget in order to provide quality education to Tibetan children. These assets are being put to best use by all the CTSA schools for all round development of children.
• Activity based teaching has been introduced at Primary level in all CTSA schools in order to teach small kids through play way method and also to make classroom teaching meaningful for tiny tots.
• The Tibetan Cultural Meet was organized at Zonal/Central level in CTSA schools to strengthen the Tibetan culture and traditions among Tibetan children.