The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) has outlined a series of reforms implemented by Norbuling Rigter College (NRC) following the recommendations of an internal inquiry into the violent incident that raised public questions on safety measures within the college campus earlier this year.
The case came to light on 31st March, 2026 when a brutal hostel assault incident left a 22-year-old first-year student with severe brain damage and loss of speech.
Subsequently, the family of another student came forward describing a similar earlier incident that had not been publicly reported.
The brother of a now 20-year-old former student said his younger brother was assaulted on the night of 13th September, 2025, while asleep in his hostel room.
According to an update issued by RUB, NRC submitted a report to the Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVC) detailing measures taken in response to recommendations made by the internal inquiry team.
The recommendations had been discussed during a meeting between the NRC management and the OVC on 30th April, 2026.
The measures are aimed at strengthening student welfare, improving campus safety, enhancing mental health support and ensuring better coordination among stakeholders responsible for students’ wellbeing.
As part of efforts to strengthen student welfare and residential supervision, NRC has recruited three additional full-time Student Service Officers, enhanced hostel monitoring, introduced regular inspections and increased engagement with students. The college has also established a 24-hour supervision and response system to ensure timely attention to student welfare and safety concerns.
Recognising the importance of mental health support, the college has appointed a professionally qualified Senior Counsellor and expanded counselling services, referral mechanisms, crisis intervention and mental health awareness programmes to provide timely assistance to students.
The report also states that the college has reinforced value-based education and holistic student development by strengthening awareness programmes and reintroducing the Mentor–Mentee System.
Opportunities for student leadership, community service, sports, cultural activities and other co-curricular programmes have also been expanded to encourage greater student engagement.
Campus security has also been upgraded.
NRC has strengthened night-time monitoring and security patrols, improved access control and CCTV surveillance, upgraded hostel doors and locks, installed window grills and enhanced campus lighting and perimeter security. To improve emergency response, the college has given student leaders greater responsibility in identifying and reporting welfare and safety concerns.
Structured reporting, referral and escalation mechanisms have also been established to facilitate timely intervention when issues arise.
Further, coordination has been strengthened among the college management, Student Services, faculty mentors, counsellors, student leaders, parents and guardians, as well as relevant external agencies, to ensure a coordinated approach to student welfare and safety.
RUB said both the university and NRC will continue to monitor and review the implementation of these measures to ensure they remain effective.
The focus, it said, will continue to be on creating a safe, supportive and conducive learning environment while reinforcing that student welfare and safety are a shared responsibility of the college, the university, parents and guardians and the wider community.
The update follows the internal inquiry conducted after the Norbuling Rigter College case, which prompted calls for stronger safeguards for students and a review of the college’s welfare and safety systems.
Rather than disciplinary outcomes, the latest report focuses on the institutional measures introduced to prevent similar incidents and strengthen support systems for students going forward.
Meanwhile, the recent case remains under court trail and the other one is with the Office of Attorney General.
