The election pledge could remain unfulfilled due to ongoing tussle between government and RCSC

KP Sharma

The government’s pledge to regularise contract employees has hit an impasse, mainly hindered by a standoff with the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC).

Despite several negotiations and recommendations going back and forth between the two sides, there is not much headway on regularisation of contract employees. Thousands of contract workers face an uncertain future.

Although the government earlier announced plans to grant para-regular status to contract employees, it has yet to provide a timeline for implementing these changes.

In a partial measure, the government extended the contract duration for Elementary Support Personnel and General Support Personnel from three to five years.

Regularising contract employees was one of the government’s popular election pledges. It was also one of the Prime Minister’s executive orders on the first day in office.

However, critics argue that this promise is unlikely to be fulfilled due to the RCSC’s constitutional mandates and obligations, which limit the government’s ability to independently execute such policy.

As of December 2023, the civil service employed 28,406 individuals, of whom 5,233 were on contract—accounting for 18.42 percent of the workforce.

The education  sector has the highest proportion of contract employees followed by the National Medical Services (NMS).

In the education sector alone, 26.5 percent (3,234) of its 12,190 workforce are on contract, including over 800 Regular Contract Teachers and 1,200 National Contract Teachers. Many of these contract teachers lack formal teacher training, raising concerns about the quality of education.

Similarly,NMS had about 535 employees recruited on contract in 2023.

Contract employees, especially in critical sectors like education, grapple with multiple challenges such as limited access to loans, post-service benefits, pensions, career progression, and transfers. As a result, many employees are demotivated, adversely affecting student performance and leading to gaps in learning and development.

Recently, the National Council’s special committee for education has also recommended the government to regularise contract teachers.

The Committee proposed to discontinue the recruitment of contract teachers, if the current system does not allow regularisation.

Meanwhile, some dzongkhag human resource committees have discussed reducing contract durations from two years to one, in order to replace contract teachers with regular staff.

Ministry’s alternative plan

While regularisation remains a challenge under the current meritocratic system governed by the RCSC, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has proposed an alternative plan.

The MoESD plans to introduce the National Teacher Standards framework by 2025 to professionalise the teaching workforce and create structured pathways for contract teachers to transition into regular civil service roles.

According to Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa, the framework includes a comprehensive training programme for contract teachers. “The plan includes requiring contract teachers to complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Education through a blended learning approach, along with passing a teaching service eligibility test.”

Under this framework, contract teachers with bachelor’s degrees will undergo two months of training during winter vacation at a residential school in Samtse. They will be required to complete four modules and undergo practical training during the summer break to earn their postgraduate degree within two years.

The ministry also plans to replace the Bhutan Civil Service Examination for Bachelor of Education trainees with a teacher eligibility test as part of the new teaching service framework.

In addition, the ministry is seeking authority to oversee recruitment, selection, and management of the teaching service.

However, whether this plan can make it through the bureaucratic hurdles and pass RCSC scrutiny remains uncertain. The RCSC is focused on maintaining a compact civil service, and the implications of expanding its size through this plan could pose challenges to its principles.

Challenges in fulfilling the promise

Despite wielding executive authority, the government’s ability to fulfill its promise is limited by the RCSC’s constitutional independence.

Altering the status of contract employees or expanding the civil service would require legislative amendments. If the government attempts to amend the RCSC Act to fulfill its political pledges, many believe it could set a dangerous precedent, potentially causing political backlash.

Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has said that the government will respect the RCSC’s autonomy and not pursue changes to its mandate.

The RCSC has stressed the importance of maintaining meritocracy within the civil service, warning that altering the status of contract employees should not negatively affect the prospects of regular civil servants.

This tug-of-war is not new.

A similar attempt during the third Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa government to convert consolidated contract employees into regular staff was blocked by the RCSC, leaving campaign promises unfulfilled.

The recurring struggle to fulfill electoral promises like regularising contract workers has sparked questions about political accountability.

Critics argue that the Election Commission of Bhutan should scrutinise the feasibility of campaign pledges before they are approved, as unachievable promises erode public trust and undermine the credibility of political parties.