Nine lamas received the highest academic degree in Tibetan Buddhism studies on Sunday in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

9 lamas honored with top Tibetan Buddhism degree.

The nine laureates of Gexe Lharampa, a title similar to a doctorate in the Gelugba faction of Tibetan Buddhism, were awarded after they passed tests of general knowledge about Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan language at the Sera Monastery in June and defended their dissertations Sunday at the Jokhang Monastery, said Zhukang Tubdain Kaizhub, head of the Tibet branch of the Buddhist Association of China.

Gexe means knowledgeable and Lharampa is the highest among the four ranks in the Gexe system.

Forty lamas have been honored the degree since 2005 when the exam was resumed.

The exam was suspended after a riot instigated by separatists took place in 1988 during the event.