About the Course
You must chant 16 rounds of Japa daily and follow the four regulative principles. You must be recommended by an ISKCON authority who knows you well, certifying that you have been engaged favorably in the preaching mission of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for at least the previous 12 months. The Bhakti Sastri course requires the students to read all the 5 books, such as Bhagavad Gita, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Ishopanishad, and Srila Prabhupada Lilamrita before commencing the course. We can accept your registration on your assurance that you will read these books at least once before coming for the course. This is required because the course is interactive and conducted as discussions and other group activities based on the books. So you must read these books to be able to participate and fully benefit from the course. You must be 18 years or above in age.
Bhakti Sastri Course Details This course consists of the in-depth study of four books: Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction & Sri Ishopanisad. It has been designed for devotees who have been practicing Krishna consciousness seriously for one year with a basic sastric knowledge and understanding. This on-demand online course provides the flexibility of studying at your own convenience without causing any disruption of home and work life. You progress at your own rate, taking one module at a time so that it suits your schedule.
Eligibility
This course is divided into six modules as follows
You take one module at a time starting from the first module.
1. Nectar of Instruction (NOI)
2. Sri Isopanishad (ISO)
3. Bhagavad gita – Chapters 01 to 06 (BG1)
4. Bhagavad gita – Chapters 07 to 12 (BG2)
5. Bhagavad gita – Chapters 13 to 18 (BG3)
6. Nectar of Devotion (NOD)
The structure of all modules is given at following links,
Each module has a series of online video classes and linked reading material and structured in a weekly format, having two video lessons per week.
After scrutinizingly studying videos and the corresponding reading material, please attempt the MCQs and open book assignments appearing as and when you complete certain video lessons.
You can study video lessons as many times as you want.
Multiple choice quizzes (MCQs) (15 % weightage)
In the new system, notes have been replaced with multiple choice quizzes (MCQs)
You need not submit notes as an email attachments to us now.
(For your personal benefit, you are free to make notes)
Please continue studying the video lessons to attempt the MCQs.
These quizzes are based on the video lessons and also based on books
The grades of MCQs are automatically calculated by the system.
While you are attempting the multiple choice quiz, you shall see total number of questions on left panel and also the countdown counter.
Once you attempt any question, the color of the question number on the left shall change to light gray.
Unattempted questions remain white in color.
You can change the choice of any question, before finally submitting the quiz.
After you submit the quiz, you shall see your marks (calculated by the system) appearing in the gradebook.
Each question is for one minute and carries one mark.
There are two attempts for each MCQ.
You may attempt full quiz once or twice.
The highest grade between the two attempts shall be considered as your final grade for that MCQ.
There are total 6 MCQs per module.
Open Book Assignments (40 % weightage)
We have included all the open book assignments in the system.
Please do not send any open book assignments by email.
When you are submitting the open book assignments in the new system, you can send as an online text by typing your answers or you can submit as an attachment.
You can submit maximum of 4 attachments per one open book assignment.
The permissible size for any attachment is 1 MB.
If you are writing on paper and scanning and sending, please see that size is less than 1 MB per attachment.
(Please send attachments in the form of pdf formats. It shall help us to give proper responses for your submissions.)
Open Book Assignments drafts can be saved in the system.
There is only one attempt for any assignments, therefore you may thoroughly check before submitting the open book assignments.
When you click the final ‘Add Submission’ button, then assignment submission shall be considered final and you won’t be able to make any changes.
There is manual grading for the open book assignments, therefore after you submit the open book assignments, grades shall not immediately appear in the gradebook till teacher (or tutor) gives manual grading.
He/she may give response to your answers, which you can access in your gradebook.
Closed book exams: 45%
Bhakti Sastri Course Details This course consists of the in-depth study of four books: Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction & Sri Ishopanisad. It has been designed for devotees who have been practicing Krishna consciousness seriously for one year with a basic sastric knowledge and understanding. This on-demand online course provides the flexibility of studying at your own convenience without causing any disruption of home and work life. You progress at your own rate, taking one module at a time so that it suits your schedule.
After you have successfully passed the first module, we shall enroll you for second module and so on in a similar fashion.
Assessment:
When you are studying each module, you will follow three steps.
Step 1: You shall attempt the MCQs as they appear during the course.
Step 2: You shall submit the ‘Open Book Assignments’ as they appear during the course.
Step 3: You shall appear for ‘Closed Book Exam’ for that module within one week of step 2 in the presence of the ISKCON Temple President/Authority who has certified about you.
Please see that you authority submits your closed book exam with all the details of the candidate.
Read more about
Scoring system:
For each module the marks will be distributed as follows.
MCQs : 15%
Open book assignments: 40%
Closed book exams: 45%
You will be considered to have passed the module if you get at least 65% marks.
(The grade for each module will be sent within three weeks after the closed-book exam is over.)
| Grade | Marks | Definition |
| AA | 95 & above | High Honors |
| AB | 85 – 94 | Honors |
| BB | 75 – 84 | Distinction |
| BC | 65 – 74 | Pass |
| CC | 50 – 64 | Marginal Fail |
| CD | Below 50 | Fail |
A student will be considered to have passed the module if he gets at least 65% marks.
If somebody has scored less than 65%, he will be given a second chance.
Of course that will be a different exam.
Certification:
In order to get the bhakti sastri degree, you will have to pass all six modules within one and half year from the time of registration. Once you have passed all the six modules, an e-bhakti sastri certificate will be sent to you within one month by Bhakivedanta academy for culture and education (BACE, ISKCON Chowpatty) on behalf of ISKCON board of exams.