Of the total intake, 20 percent receive government scholarships, while 15 percent are self-financed

Thinley Namgay

The Social and Cultural Committee (SCC) of the National Assembly (NA) has called for a review of student intake criteria in colleges under the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB), highlighting the growing number of Class XII graduates left without access to higher education.

Presenting the findings on December 7, SCC Chairperson Lhaba Lhaba revealed that in 2024, only 35 percent of students, including self-financed individuals, were able to enrol in colleges. The remaining 65 percent had no opportunity to pursue further studies—a situation the Committee described as a critical challenge for the country’s human resource development and long-term growth.

The SCC emphasised that increasing enrollment in RUB colleges could provide much-needed opportunities, particularly for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The committee stressed that the shortage of opportunities could have serious implications for Bhutan’s long-term development, particularly in terms of human resource capacity and economic growth.

Member of Parliament (MP) from South Thimphu Tshewang Rinzin raised concerns about arts students from the 2022–23 academic year who were left stranded without educational prospects.

“These students are from humble backgrounds. During the election campaign, we all noticed that most of the students were in the villages without opportunities to pursue education. This is the result of a change in the government’s policy,” Tshewang Rinzin said.

He recommended the education ministry to find separate resources and budget to allow these students to continue their studies.

The House overwhelmingly endorsed his proposal, underscoring the urgent need for solutions to ensure equitable access to higher education.

Education Minister Yeezang De Thapa acknowledged the constraints, noting that RUB colleges currently enroll about 2,600 students annually. Of the 11 colleges in the country, nine are government-owned, and two are private. Of the total intake, 20 percent receive government scholarships, while 15 percent are self-financed.

Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa pointed to infrastructure limitations and the need to maintain educational quality as key barriers to increasing enrollment.

As an alternative, vocational training programmes have been introduced to offer students other avenues for skill development, she said.

Highlighting the economic implications, Mongar MP Naiten Wangchuk said that around 6,718 students are left without access to higher education annually, many of whom pursue studies abroad. This trend drains Bhutan’s foreign currency reserves, with an estimated Nu 7 billion lost each year and Nu 30 billion over five years.

“Colleges in the country have the capacity to accommodate an additional 3,000 students,” Naiten Wangchuk said, suggesting better planning and policy adjustments to address this gap and retain students within the country.

The National Assembly directed the government to review the SCC’s recommendations and provide a detailed report during the next session.