… private schools get applications for admission and scholarships 

Dechen Dolkar 

The 78 government higher secondary schools (HSS) have 9,671 seats available for class XI while only 7,519 students passed the Class X board exams. This leaves 2,152 vacant seats in public HSS.

Of the total seats available in the government schools, 150 seats are at Taktse Rigzhung Higher Secondary School.

In 2022, 10,254 seats were available for Class XI students in 75 government schools but only 8,797 students passed the BCSE examinations and 1,457 seats were left vacant.

Despite the end of the government scholarships to students studying in private schools, the schools said they are getting applications.




As of yesterday, some private schools said that they have been getting applications for Class XI admission.

Karma Academy received more than 200 class XI admissions. The school has 200 seats for class XI. “The school is still receiving applications,” the principal said.

Desi High School is also receiving admission for class XI. The school can accommodate around 300 in class XI.

According to Ugyen Academy, the school will be able to accommodate around 100 students in class XI from other schools since they already have around 90 students who have passed class X from their own school.




Private schools claimed that they receiving more applications for admission in the science stream. “The students are also looking for scholarships from the schools,” a principal said.

According to the Ministry of Education and Skills Development notification issued yesterday, all students who wish to study in private schools must apply either through an online EMIS portal or submit a hard copy to private schools of their choice from February 10 to 11, 2023.

Private Schools have to ensure that applications received in hard copies are entered into the EMIS by February 11.

Private schools should complete the admission by February 14 and also update the same in the EMIS on the same day without fail.




The ministry also mentioned that once students are admitted in private schools, the EMIS system will not permit them to apply in government schools.

Private schools receiving the admission claimed that the duration for the admission is very short. “The admission period is only two days. Parents don’t have time to decide for their children,” a private school official said.

They also said that the online portal is very slow.

However, the Director General of the Department of School Education, Karma Galay, said that the short duration will not make any difference for the private schools.




“The first preferences were given to private schools for admission,” Karma Galay said.

He said that parents can admit their students from government schools to private schools if they wish to after government school admission is completed.

He said that the duration for admission is shorter for both private and government schools and they had to rush since the academic session is already getting late.

Students opting for admission to government schools should also apply online through the EMIS portal between February 15 and 18.




Students should apply to schools located in the same dzongkhags or thromde where their current school is located.

Students whose parents have been transferred should also apply online using the online portal to any school located in the dzongkhag or thromde where the parents have been transferred to. Students must upload the transfer order of their parents.

The department will arrange the placement of students who could not be absorbed in the parent dzongkhag or thromde between February 24 and 25.

Students admitted as boarders will report to the respective schools on February 26  and day-scholars on  February 27.

Students opting to study science should have a minimum of 40 percent in Mathematics and 55 percent in Science with a minimum of 51 percent each in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.




Students opting to study commerce should have a minimum of 40 percent in Mathematics.

Students opting for the Rigzhung at Taktse Rigzhung HSS should have a minimum of 50 percent in English and 60 percent in Dzongkha.

The schools will not offer any streams if the number of students is less than 20.