There is uncertainty in the air for students of Central Institute of Buddhist Studies as the class 10th and 12th certificate issued by the institution is invalid. 
 
A lack of positive response and concrete result from the CIBS administration forced the students to raise voice for their rights. Students carried out a series of protests and demonstrations in the last few months. The administration was given a deadline until December 10 to resolve the issues, but nothing has been done in this regard. The deadlines kept on extending and the students were given assurance to address the issue but their dialogues with the CIBS administration have failed to yield any result. As a result, the students have been left clueless and helpless. 
 
Stanzin Targais, President, Student Welfare Committee, CIBS, said, “The issue of the certificate is not new as students have been facing this problem since 2016. Students are facing difficulty in getting admission and jobs because of the non-recognition of certificates. Our life is at stake”.
 
“All this time we were assured by the CIBS administration to look into the matter and resolve issues related to certificates, but nothing has been done so far. We are compelled to step outside and raise our voice for our right,” he added.
 
CIBS was disaffiliated from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University in 2016 that created chaos and panic among students. The Director School Education Department of UT Ladakh sent a show-cause notice to the Director of CIBS on December 1, 2020, asking the latter to take necessary corrective measures within a month from the date of issue of the notice, failing which the department threatened to take action. The Director of School Education asked CIBS to get affiliation of any competent authority and recognition to run the school course, failing which the department will initiate appropriate action against the director of the institution. The Director of School education also asked the institution to shift students to other recognised institutions for the completion of their studies.  
 
As per the notice, the institution is not competent to conduct academic courses for 1st to 12th classes and to issue certificates after its disaffiliation from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. CIBS is violating statutory provisions and rules of recognition/ registration as prescribed under J&K School Education Act 2002/ Rules SRO123 which stipulates that ‘no school shall be permitted to function without obtaining recognition from the government as per the provisions of the Act.’ 
 
The notice reads: “For obtaining recognition, the institution needs to get the affiliation of a competent board which has not been done so far and courses are being run in utter violation of the statutory provisions. The act of CIBS by continuing with the courses without affiliation of any competent authority and recognition thereunder is to the prejudice of student’s welfare, and will jeopardise their career.”
 
Speaking on the issue, Director CIBS, Professor Konchok Wangdus said, “We followed UGC’s notification which doesn’t have any objection in issuing certificates for class 10th & 12th courses. We discussed the matter with the J&K Board and informed them about the foundation course, which is important to run higher education courses at CIBS”.
 
“The Board shared that CIBS would be granted to issue equivalence certificate if it is recognised by the UT Administration,” he added.
 
MP Ladakh and the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of LAHDC Leh took up the matter, but only assurances have been given so far.