Doctor of Letters

==India==
In India the DLitt degree was earlier called the Doctor of Letters, but presently DLitt is an abbreviation of "Doctor of Literature", since the year 2014, after a Gazette Notification by the Government of India mandated a change in the nomenclature.<ref>[https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/1061840_specification-of-degrees-july-2014.pdf]</ref> 
The DLitt is the highest postdoctoral degree awarded in the fields of arts, humanities and social sciences. 
The DLitt may be "earned" through research in a public university, or bestowed as an honoris causa award for distinguished achievements.
For an earned DLitt degree, the entry requirement is a Doctor of Philosophy degree and evidence of substantial contribution to the field after completion of PhD.  The DLitt Thesis is expected to be of an exceptionally high order, and is reviewed by eminent experts in the subject. The new vistas of knowledge embodied in the DLitt Thesis must also be publicly defended.
DLitt (honoris causa) are conferred by public universities, usually on visiting dignitaries or on experts who may or may not have the prescribed qualification, but have substantially contributed to academic or professional development of a field of knowledge. 
The Honorary DLitt are considered an award, and not an academic degree in the strictest sense.

Similarly, the highest educational degree at the postdoctoral level in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Indic religious studies, Oriental literature and Indology in India is termed ''Vidya Vachaspati'', which is legally recognized as the equivalent to the  DLitt.<ref>[https://indiankanoon.org/doc/133530664/ ''Mr. Narendra Kumar Chouhan vs State Of Rajasthan & Ors,'' Rajasthan High Court (11 September 2014)]</ref>

Enrollment in a ''Vidya Vachaspati'' program generally requires both having published works and the previous attainment of a ''Vidya Vairidhi'' degree, which is equivalent to a PhD.<ref>[https://www.indcareer.com/vidya-vachaspati-d-litt-rashtriya-sanskrit-vidyapeetha-tirupati ''Vidya Vachaspati (D.Litt.), Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati,'' Indcareer (Accessed 2 May 2018)]</ref>

The title of Vidya Vachaspati may also be awarded honoris causa to distinguished scholars who may otherwise lack the educational qualifications to be eligible to register for the earned degree, but whose expertise and contributions are deemed to be deserving of the honour.