The 10th Tibetan College Students’ Conference took place at the College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah in Himachal Pradesh, India, which is very well known to Tibetans and foreigners alike for its courses in Tibetan language, literature, history, Buddhism, etc. The conference was held for seven days, from the 23rd to the 29th of February 2016, during which, more than twenty different topics relating to status of education in exile were discussed by the participants, who were the representatives of different colleges and Institutes in India and abroad.

The conference was organised by a 15 member organising committee and funded by the Dalai Lama Trust, India. It was attended by 75 participants from 16 different colleges and institutions located in India and abroad. The three main resolutions thoroughly discussed in this year’s conference were:

1. The thinking and direction of leadership and responsibility of the college students to improve the education among Tibetans in exile.

2. Evaluation of the Tibetan College Students’ Conference.

3. Suggestions/Appeals to submit to the Central Tibetan Administration and Tibetan Children’s Village Schools.

The opening ceremony of the conference started with lightening up of the butter lamp by the Chief guest, Mr. Tsering Samdup, the Education Director of the Department of Education followed by other programs including singing of Tibetan national anthem, holding a minute of silence to pay homage to the martyrs who sacrificed their precious lives for the cause of Tibet, related speeches from Chief guests, Special guests, Director of Sarah College as well as president, vice-president and coordinator of the organising committee respectively.

The resolution that was discussed for first few days of the conference was about the thinking and direction of leadership and the responsibility of the college students to improve the status of education among exiled Tibetans along with question and answer session at the end of each discussion.

The fourth day was devoted fully to an educational expedition to the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Cabinet Office/Kashag of Central Tibetan Administration, Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Norbulingka Institute and Kangra Fort. A special program was also arranged in the evening from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

The third session of day five focused on the resolution of evaluating the Tibetan College Students’ Conferences in which the Reviewing Committee of Tibetan College Students answered all the questions regarding the results of resolutions passed in the 9th Tibetan College Students’ Conference. The fourth session of the day covered the work of collecting the suggestions produced during the 10th Tibetan College Students’ conference and adopting them as resolutions.

Day six of the conference started with the talk by Mr. Tsewang Rigzin, Director of the Tibetan Foundation on the Difficulties and Opportunities in Exile Tibetan Society followed by talk of Mr. Ngodup Tsering, Minister/Kalon of Education on the spaces in Tibetan society which can be filled by Tibetan College Students. The proposals/appeals concerning the Department of Education and TCV, were also handed over to the respective heads in the presence of Education Minister/Kalon. Mr. Tsewang Yeshi, President of TCV gave a talk on the topic of ‘the Present Status of Primary Students’ Education and the Responsibility of College Students’. The participants also elected new members of Reviewing Committee of Tibetan College Students after deciding the venue for the next conference at the end of day.

The last day of the conference concluded with presenting the account reports on income and expenditure of the 10th Tibetan College Students and resolutions/outcomes of the conference. Then the Chief guest of the day, Geshe Jamphel Dakpa, Director of Sarah College gave a talk to the students for half an hour and then he handed over the certificates to all the participants. The 10th Tibetan College Students Conference successfully ended with an address by Mr. Yeshi Palden, President of Organising Committee thanking all the associated parties on the behalf of the committee members and participants.

The Dalai Lama Trust, India provided all the financial assistance to facilitate every requirement for organising this seven-day conference successfully, including expenditures incurred on all necessities for the conference including meals, accommodation, educational outings, etc.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE :

Resolutions of the Conference:

Searching the thinking direction of leadership and responsibility of the college students to improve the education status among exile Tibetans.

Evaluating the Tibetan College Students’ Conference.

Collecting suggestions to hand over Central Tibetan Administration and Tibetan Children’s Village.

First Day:

Opening Ceremony in the presence of some Special guests

First Session:

Self-introduction from participants and reading out the annual reports from respective localities

Second Session:

Speech on Status of education in exile Tibetans and Responsibilities of College Students by Director of Sambodha School, Mr. Karma Chungdak. 

Second Day :

First Session:

Topic: How to improve the translation project in Exile

Presenter: Varanasi University

Topic: The space in Tibetan society, which can be filled by the College students

Presenter: Banaras Hindu University

Second Session:

Presenter: Chandigarh College and Baroda College

Third Session:

Topic: The Present Condition of Tibetan Language and Responsibility of College Students

Presenter: Tibetan Transitional School and Drepung Loseling Monastery

Fourth Session:

Topic: What are the inadequate parts of Education in Exile Tibetan Society

Presenter: Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Studies

Special Program in Evening

Third Day :

First Session:

Topic: How a refugee preserves his unique culture

Presenter: Norbulingka College

Topic: Positive and Negative outcomes of implementing the New Education Policy

Presenter: Sera Jey Monastery

Second Session:

How to improve the quality of Tibetan Education System In Exile

Presenter: Delhi University

Third Session:

How did the management of primary schools uplift the physical and mental development of students?

Presenter: Jawaharla Nehru University

Fourth Session:

Speech by Tsang Truktop, history teacher of Sarah College on the topic of Current status of Tibet and Responsibility of College Students

Special program

Fourth Day :

Educational Expedition to:

Cabinet/Kashag and Tibetan Parliament of CTA

Library of Tibetan Works and Archives

Norling Institute

Kangra Fort

Fifth Day :

First Session

How to study for acquiring Ph.d in Stanford University

Presenter: Stanford University

How to make one’s dream come true

Presenter: Ph.D Tsering Yangkyi

Second Session

Presenting the report of Reviewing Committee of Tibetan College Students

Talk on How to manage website and the Features of the Tibetan College Student’s Website

Third Session

Evaluating the Tibetan College Students’ Conference

Evaluating the resolutions of 9th Tibetan College Students’ Conference and Clarification from the Reviewing Committee

Fourth Session

Collecting the Suggestions of 10th Tibetan College Students’ Conference and ratification of the Resolutions

Special Program

Sixth day:

First Session%3