TISS PARZOR Online Certificate Program on Culture & Civilisation: A Zoroastrian Perspective

Eligibility

Eligibility to apply for the programme

Candidate should be 18 years or older and should either have completed a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline or be presently enrolled in any under-graduate programme. Exceptions to the above may be considered at the discretion of the admission team.

 

Description

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Eligibility to apply for the programme

Candidate should be 18 years or older and should either have completed a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline or be presently enrolled in any undergraduate programme. Exceptions to the above may be considered at the discretion of the admission team.

 

TISS-PARZOR_Application_Form_for_Indian_Applicants_2025.doc

 

Please note that the above link is for Indian Students to apply.

Indian Applicants who are unable to complete the Online Application at the above link can alternatively fill in the following Application Form and email it along with the list of enclosures to tiss.parzor@gmail.com 

 

In case of any difficulty while filling out the application form, please get in touch with us at the following phone numbers: +91 8007999490 or +91 9321648323 and we will be able to assist you.

 

TISS-PARZOR_Application_Form_for_International_Applicants_Parzor 2025.doc

The above form is for International students applying for the said programme.

The completed application form, along with the list of enclosures, should be emailed to international.admissions@tiss.edu

 

 

Location: Online Programme conducted from the TISS Mumbai Campus

Duration: 10 months

 

IMPORTANT DATES

Notification for (2024-25) admission (Advertisement schedule/website display)	October 2025
Last date of submission of online application form	31st December, 2025
Last date for completing admission procedure including 10-days time for paying the fee	--
Commencement of Certificate Programme	January 2026
Tentative conclusion of Programme	November 2026

 ** All dates mentioned above are provisional and subject to change.

 

About TISS

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) was established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. In 1944, it was renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The year 1964 was an important landmark in the history of the Institute, when it was declared Deemed to be a University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956. Since its inception, the Vision of the TISS has been to be an institution of excellence in higher education that continually responds to changing social realities through the development and application of knowledge, towards creating a people-centred, ecologically sustainable and just society that promotes and protects dignity, equality, social justice and human rights for all.

 

About Parzor Foundation

The Parzor Foundation, created under the aegis of UNESCO in 1999, specializes in holistic preservation and promotion of Parsi Zoroastrian culture. Over the last 25 years, it has disseminated knowledge about Zoroastrian contributions to world culture, history, philosophy, ecology, symbolism, art and craft, and has endeavoured to prevent this rich Bronze-age Culture from being lost to humanity.

 

Parzor and TISS have worked together for almost 20 years and continue to collaborate on demographic and other social projects. Several academics from TISS have worked closely with Parzor on community-based projects gaining valuable insights for sharing with the world. Parzor and TISS signed an MOU in August 2022 with the goal to offer the first systematic programme of study on Parsi Zoroastrian Culture and Heritage within an academic institution.

 

TISS-Parzor Academic Programme Details

The academic programme on Parsi Zoroastrian Culture & Heritage aims to advance the understanding of the community and diverse perspectives through academic frameworks provided by history, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, economics and philosophy.

The courses will be taught by a combination of resident faculty members and guest lecturers from institutes across the globe, who are subject experts in the field of Zoroastrian Studies. The programme will also tap into young researchers and professionals in emerging and specialized fields, guided by those who have spent a lifetime in protecting this heritage. This Programme will add value to the study of the Humanities, and appeal to young students across disciplines, who wish to explore new ideas while earning credits for the coursework towards their diploma or degree. The programme will highlight how an ancient culture has remained relevant through modern ideas, and discuss pertinent issues such as Environment, Pollution, Demographics, Migration, Diasporas, Global Cultures, Continuity and Change.

 

Objectives of the Programme:

• Make the Parsi Zoroastrian perspective known to a generation which has not been exposed to this culture.
• Encourage the study and preservation of tangible and intangible forms of a heritage of humanity in need of preservation.
• Enable students to develop a unique understanding of cultures and communities through the core and elective courses.
• Explain the core customs and rituals that form the heart of Zoroastrianism vis-a-vis the current ecological scenario.
• Encourage the study of Central Asian cultures as a sister cultural sphere with India.
• Provide access to a digital resource platform of rare Zoroastrian texts and artefacts.
• Showcase crafts and customs in traditional and AV formats from Parzor Foundation’s archives to understand symbols and a continuity of culture, and enable further research on this cultural heritage.

Distribution of Credit Hours:

Course Structure:

The 20-credit Certificate Programme offers multiple courses, each worth 2 credits.

Students opting for the Full Programme must complete the compulsory Foundation Course-Philosophy, History & Culture.

Courses will be offered sequentially, beginning with the Foundation Course in January 2026, followed by the elective modules.

Each 2-credit course includes 30 hours of learning, combining:

Live teaching

Tutorials

Discussion sessions

Engagement with course material

There will be 2–3 class sessions per week, and each course will be completed in approximately 5 weeks.

 

Tentative time-table for the programme:

Course	Start date	Duration
Introductory week	January 2026	1 week
Foundation Course	January 2026	5 weeks
Elective 1	February 2026	5 weeks
Elective 2	March 2026	5 weeks
Elective 3	April 2026	5 weeks
Elective 4	May 2026	5 weeks
Elective 5	June 2026	5 weeks
Elective 6	July 2026	5 weeks
Elective 7	August 2026	5 weeks
Elective 8	September 2026	5 weeks
Elective 9	October 2026	5 weeks
Fieldwork / Dissertation	November 2026

 * All dates mentioned above are provisional and subject to change.

 

 

Semesterwise Courses:

Semester-wise Courses:

Course Syllabus:

The Courses offered are detailed below:

Total Credits: 20

The Full Certificate Programme comprises:

1 Core Course (2 credits)

7 or 8 Elective Courses (2 credits each) — 14 / 16 credits

Research Paper / Dissertation — 2 / 4 credits, 20 credits

Semester-wise Courses:

The courses offered are detailed below:

Course Name	Number of Credits
Foundation Course- Philosophy, History & Culture	2 credits
Zoroastrian Customs, Ecology, and Rituals Parsi Literature in English History, Archaeology and Heritage Parsis in India: A Historical Perspective Material Culture: Arts & Architecture Languages of Zoroastrianism Introduction to Avestan Parsi Demographics Parsi Theatre & Performing Arts	Any 7 or 8 electives of 2 credits each = 14 / 16 credits
Research Paper/Dissertation	2/4 credits
Overall full Certificate Programme requirement: 1 core course + 7/8 elective courses + Research Paper / Dissertation	20 credits

*The sequence of modules may vary, and their dates are subject to change.

 

Modular Option:

Candidates who are unable to pursue the complete Certificate Programme of 20 credits, but are interested in pursuing individual courses, can opt for the modular option. Here, a candidate can register for individual courses by paying the fees for the number of courses selected. There will be a rolling window for enrolment for the individual courses before the start of the respective courses. The candidates successfully completing the requirements of the course will receive a Completion Certificate from TISS.

 Conducting Online Classes through Zoom

All online teaching will be facilitated via the Zoom platform, providing a dynamic virtual classroom environment that supports live lectures, discussions, and collaborative activities.

Course Evaluation:

Each individual course will have its own independent evaluation criteria as determined by the course convener. The students are expected to maintain regular attendance and complete periodical assessments.

Fee Structure:

Fee Structure:

The total fee for the Certificate programme is Rs. 60,000.00 (Rupees Sixty Thousand only) payable at the time of admission. The amount includes the components of tuition fee, examination fee, library and IT charges, development fund contribution and caution deposit. Payments can be made online using the different payment modes available.

 

The fee breakup is given below:

Component	Fee breakup	Amount (Rs.)
Fee	Tuition fee	35000
	Examination fee	2000
Charges	Dissertation / Study Supervision	10000
	IT Charges	2000
	Library / Online material charges	1000
	Other (ID, Platform access, Certificate, etc.)	2500
Fund	Development fund	4000
	Alumni fund	500
Deposit	Caution deposit	3000
	Total Programme fee	60,000

 

Scholarships in the form of a partial fee waiver are available for meritorious/deserving candidates who pursue the complete Certificate Programme. Those who wish to avail of the scholarship need to write a 300-word application describing their motivation to pursue the programme and outlining their requirements/eligibility for the scholarship, and send it to the following email: tiss.parzor@gmail.com.

 

The course fee for the modular option is Rs. 7,500.00 (Rupees Seven Thousand Five Hundred) per individual course. The candidates opting for the modular option will receive a course completion certificate from TISS upon successfully meeting the course requirements.

 

International Applicants

The international applications will be handled by the TISS Office of International Affairs (OIA). All international applicants enrolling in the full Certificate Programme will be charged an application and admission processing fee of US $70. Applicants opting for individual modular courses will be charged US $10 per module as the application and admission processing fee.

In addition, international applicants will be charged a tuition fee mark-up between 20% and 50% depending on their country of residence, as follows

High Income Economies: 50% higher than the fees charged to Indian students

Upper Middle Income Economies:40% higher than the fees charged to Indian students

Lower Middle Income Economies: 30% higher than the fees charged to Indian students

BIMSTEC (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) / Low Income Economies: 20% higher than the fees charged to Indian students

The processing fee and the tuition fee mark-up will be applicable for admission to both the complete Certificate Programme and to individual courses in the modular option. Details regarding the fees for international applicants can be viewed at https://admissions.tiss.edu/view/6/admissions/international-students/pagect-26/.

 

Admission Process:

Candidates are required to apply online through the e-application portal at https://nirantar.tiss.edu/. The candidates will be required to create their profiles and upload the necessary documents as part of the application process. In case of any difficulty in applying online, contact the Program Coordinator at tiss.parzor@gmail.com.

  

Award of Programme Certificate:

Upon successful completion of all requirements, students will be conferred the TISS–ParZor Certificate in Culture & Civilisation: A Zoroastrian Perspective.

 

Questions regarding the TISS-ParZor Certificate Programme may be sent to the following address:

Dean, Academic Affairs, Nirantar – an Academy of Continuing Education,

Tata Institute of Social Sciences

V.N. Purav Marg, Deonar, Mumbai 400 088