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Founded in 1959 by Ladakh’s monasteries, the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) in Leh preserves and promotes Buddhist culture and education, especially after 1959 political unrest halted higher studies in Tibet. Renamed and relocated to Choglamsar in 1973, it offers formal degrees affiliated with Sampurnananda Sanskrit University. Its curriculum focuses on the Panchmahavidya—the five major Buddhist sciences—covering philosophy, arts, medicine, and culture, with Bhoti as the medium of instruction and Buddhist philosophy mandatory for all students.

The Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), established in 1967 at Sarnath, Varanasi, became an autonomous university in 1977 under the Ministry of Education. It was founded following a dialogue between Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and His Holiness the Dalai Lama to educate the Tibetan diaspora and Himalayan communities. The institute focuses on preserving Tibetan language, culture, and traditions through quality education and research in traditional subjects.

The Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Studies (CIHCS), established in 2003 at Dahung, Arunachal Pradesh, is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture and affiliated with Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. It aims to preserve and promote the cultural identity, traditional arts, crafts, and indigenous knowledge of the region. CIHCS offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in Buddhist and Himalayan studies and supports the establishment of feeder schools.

The Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, established in Bihar in 1951, was created to revive higher studies in Pali and Buddhism, inspired by the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara. It functions as a residential institute with a select number of Indian and international students. The ancient Nalanda ruins cover 14 hectares, much of which remains unexplored. The historic sites of Nalanda, Rajgir, and Bodhgaya attract thousands of tourists from India and abroad every year.