The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) has announced that from the 2025 Bhutan Civil Service Examination (BCSE) onward, candidates with specific Bachelor’s degrees in curative and clinical health sciences will no longer be required to sit for the Preliminary Examination (PE).
The decision was endorsed during the 47th Commission Meeting held on 5th June 2025. RCSC said the exemption is part of its broader strategy to address evolving human resource demands in the civil service and the country’s expanding healthcare needs.
Bhutan has seen a steady rise in healthcare attrition over the past few years, with trained professionals leaving for better opportunities abroad or transitioning to other sectors. This has placed added pressure on the national health system, especially in delivering specialized and timely medical services.
The RCSC’s move is seen as an important step to ensure timely recruitment and retention of essential healthcare professionals, while still upholding merit-based entry into the civil service.
The exemption applies to graduates from 17 specific disciplines including Audiology, Dental, Clinical Counselling, Dietetics and Nutrition, Medical Laboratory Technology, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Optometry, Emergency Medical Services, Veterinary Science, and others.
These fields fall under various service groups such as Medical Technical Services, Diagnostic Services, Public Health Services, and are categorized under the Medical and Health Services Group and the Agriculture and Livestock Services Group.
Despite the PE waiver, RCSC has assured that candidates will still go through a strict selection process. “The waiver of the PE is intended to meet current demand and does not compromise the merit-based selection system,” RCSC stated.
RCSC also emphasized that fairness and transparency remain central to its recruitment framework.
At the same time, the commission clarified that the exemption is limited to the specified degrees, and the list could evolve in the future as new relevant programs are introduced.
This will remain in effect until further notice according to RCSC.
The PE will remain mandatory for all other professional and mixed-entry categories, including those applying for administrative roles.
