Thirteen monks passed the annual Dharma debating exam and were accredited as Geshe Lharampas — the highest academic degree of Tibetan Buddhism — on Monday at Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region.

The preliminary examinations of the 2021 Geshe Lharampa degree were conducted in Lhasa's Drepung Monastery in September, and the 23 monks qualified for the final exam.

The new Geshe Lharampas are from 12 key monasteries in the cities of Shigatse, Lhokha, Chamdo, Nagchu and Lhasa, with one from the Dechen Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Yunnan province.

Following fierce competition, Losang Tandar, a 32-year-old monk from the Radod Monastery in Lhasa's Chushul county, won first place on Monday.