Phurpa Lhamo

The government and the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) are discussing whether to allow graduates who continued their education through mixed-mode learning to be eligible for the civil service.

According to Lyonchhen Dr Lotay Tshering, some of the individuals who attended college during their holidays starting in 2016 have raised concerns about being ineligible for civil service.

One of the eligibility criteria to sit for the Bhutan Civil Service Examination (BCSE) is that the individual has a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree for a minimum duration of three years from an institute recognised by the competent authorities in the relevant field. It has to be a full-time on-campus course, meeting the requirement of the minimum contact hours.

Lyonchhen Dr Lotay Tshering said that as there were no specifications prior to 2018 regarding the campus course minimum contact hours, there should be exceptions for those graduates.

Bartsham Shongphu Member of Parliament Passang Dorji raised the issue at the National Assembly yesterday.

He said that those with BA in Dzongkha and English from Sherubtse College, a BA in Social Work Education from Samtse College of Education, graduating from the Sustainable Development Programme from the College of Natural Resources, and a Diploma in Materials and Procurement Management from Jigme Namgyel Engineering College (JNEC) weren’t eligible for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).

Meanwhile, graduates with a degree in Bhutan Himalayan Studies (BHS) from College of Language and Cultural Studies (CLCS) weren’t eligible for a PGDE in History, but could apply for a PGDE in Guidance and Counselling and Public Administration.

MP Passang Dorji said that there were more than 300 graduates with BHS certificates and around 122 from JNEC with Diploma in Materials and Procurement Management.

Lyonchhen Dr Lotay Tshering said that those graduates with BHS certificates had been eligible to receive a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration (PGDPA), but were not allowed for PDGE in History.

The CLCS also introduced new degree courses in Dzongkha and Culture Studies, which replaced Bhutanese Himalayan Studies (BHS).