China to discontinue Tibetan studies as essential course requirement in university admission tests, arousing concern over cultural obliteration
In a move that has raised concerns among Tibetan advocates and rights groups, the Tibetan language will no longer be a core subject in the national college entrance examination (gaokao) for most Tibetan students. This decision, announced by Gama Cedain, chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) government and the region's deputy party secretary, is part of a broader educational reform aimed at unifying exam subjects across provinces, promoting Chinese (Mandarin), mathematics, and foreign languages instead of regional minority languages [1][3].
The press conference, organized by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on August 5, was initially intended to demonstrate six decades of socioeconomic development in TAR. However, it inadvertently revealed Beijing's commitment to assimilationist policies, as the changes in the gaokao system align with President Xi Jinping's Han-centric assimilation policies [3].
Specifically, Tibetan will only remain an optional subject for a small number of students pursuing specialized fields like Tibetan literature, meaning most Tibetan students will no longer be required to study or be tested in their native language [1][2]. This shift has reportedly been communicated verbally to teachers and students over recent months [2].
Critics argue that the framing of the change as ensuring "fairer access to high-quality education" for all ethnic groups in TAR masks the deeper objective of weakening Tibetan language education [2]. Dawa Tsering, director of the Dharamshala-based Tibet Policy Institute, stated that once the Tibetan language is no longer a part of the entry exam, it will no longer be a legal means of communication or useful to seek a profession or get a job [2].
The implications for Tibetan culture and identity are significant. With Tibetan ceasing to be a core subject, fewer students will acquire strong literacy in Tibetan, risking the gradual loss of the language among younger generations [2][3]. Language is a vital carrier of Tibetan history, traditions, and religious practices. Marginalizing Tibetan in education can diminish cultural transmission and identity reinforcement among Tibetans [2][3].
Furthermore, the move reflects a broader policy of Sinicization aimed at integrating Tibet more fully into dominant Han Chinese culture, which critics argue seeks to dilute Tibetan distinctiveness [1][3]. UN human rights experts have repeatedly warned Beijing against policies that undermine the linguistic and religious heritage of Tibetans [1].
In summary, while portrayed by Chinese authorities as an educational reform for better career opportunities, this change is widely viewed by Tibetan advocates and rights groups as a policy that threatens Tibetan language preservation and cultural identity by sidelining Tibetan in a critical national examination [1][3].
[1] Tibet Review. (2025). Beijing's Assimilation Policies Escalate under Xi Jinping. Retrieved from https://www.tibetreview.org/beijings-assimilation-policies-escalate-under-xi-jinping/
[2] Dharamshala-based Tibet Policy Institute. (2025). Tibetan Language Removed from National College Entrance Exam. Retrieved from https://tibetpolicyinstitute.org/tibetan-language-removed-from-national-college-entrance-exam/
[3] Human Rights Watch. (2025). China's Assimilation Policies in Tibet: A Threat to Cultural Identity. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/report/2025/08/05/chinas-assimilation-policies-tibet-threat-cultural-identity/
- The Tibetan language, a core subject in the national college entrance examination for most Tibetan students, will no longer be mandatory, raising concerns among advocates and rights groups.
- This educational reform, intended to unify exam subjects across provinces, focuses on promoting Mandarin, mathematics, and foreign languages instead of regional minority languages including Tibetan.
- Critics argue that the change, framed as ensuring fairer access to education, masks a deeper objective of weakening Tibetan language education and threatens cultural identity.
- The loss of Tibetan as a core subject risks the gradual loss of the language among younger generations, which is a vital carrier of Tibetan history, traditions, and religious practices.
- This policy change is part of a broader assimilationist effort aimed at integrating Tibet more fully into the dominant Han Chinese culture, which critics argue seeks to dilute Tibetan distinctiveness.6.UN human rights experts have repeatedly warned Beijing against policies that undermine the linguistic and religious heritage of Tibetans, making it crucial for ongoing learning and lifelong-learning about these issues in the general news and policy-and-legislation spheres.
