The Gyalsung Bill, having passed through both National Assembly and National Council with overwhelming support, paints a bold and confident picture of Bhutan’s future.

The Gyalsung training programme, supposed to have started from the beginning of this year, was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gyalsung or National Service Programme is a law that makes improving the capabilities of our youth, shaping and strengthening Bhutan’s security, sovereignty and economic well-being, among others.




That’s why the Bill has received unprecedented support from the people.

However, there are those who do not understand fully the Bill and its strengths. Ask a high school or college student about the Gyalsung programme and some look back with a blank expressions. However, there are many young people who have already made a decision for themselves.

One said he wants to join the army because the security of the nation is important. Another said she wants to learn agriculture skills because Bhutan’s future lies in agriculture.

Jigme, a Class XI student, said that Bhutan can’t afford to focus just on the civil service for jobs. “Time has come for us to create jobs that pay well and are competitive at the international levels.”




Young people see the Gyalsung programme as a new opening, almost a new beginning in the nation’s 21st-century narrative.

Pema Seldon has always excelled in science subjects. She is thinking about launching rocket missions beyond the moon and Mars. “I think that it will require a lot of change, not just in the government system but also by involving the private sector which has a huge potential. If we are to move ahead, we must do so together.”




Going by what the young Bhutanese think today, Gyalsung is a project whose time has come. Bhutan stands on the cusp of change. The young people have the drive to take the Bhutan dream ahead. Are we giving them the opportunity?

This is exactly why the Gyalsung Bill is significant and resonates with the young people of this country. The young people see in the Gyalsung Bill a dynamic, forward-looking and prosperous Bhutan.