The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Bhutan Civil Service Examination’s (BCSE) Preliminary Examination (PE) has always been a significant achievement for those aspiring to enter civil service.
This year’s PE shows an increase in participation.
4,102 graduates appeared for the PE, marking an increase of 732 candidates. 3,370 candidates appeared for the PE in the previous year.
The pass percentage also improved, reaching 65.48 percent which is the highest in four years.
However, recent feedback from candidates suggests that while the examination serves its purpose, there are sections that may not be as relevant or efficient as intended. Several candidates who appeared for the 2024 PE have voiced their concerns, recommending the removal of certain sections and a reevaluation of the time allocated for the exam.
PE, which serves as the entry point to the more comprehensive Main Examination, has always been a rigorous test of a candidate’s capabilities across various domains.
The current structure includes five sections: English, Dzongkha, Problem Solving, Data Interpretation, and General Knowledge (GK). While each section aims to assess different skills, candidates have raised concerns regarding the relevance and the time management challenges presented by some of these sections.
Two graduates who appeared for the PE have highlighted the overwhelming time pressure faced during the exam, and stated, “The time during the exams is just not enough, as sections such as Data Interpretation and Problem Solving both requires calculation.”
Deki Selden (Name Changed), who sat for PE for the first time said, “We have to read lengthy passages from English and Dzongkha sections, and on top of that, we need to shade the OMR sheets. The given time is not enough.”
Tashi Namgay, a 2022 graduate, who could not meet the cutoff point mentioned concerns, particularly about the Problem-Solving section. “The problem-solving part should be excluded since it is hectic and consumes lots of time, and I, personally, think that the Problem Solving section is excessively time-consuming, and perhaps, not entirely relevant to the roles within civil service.”
Starting this year, the RCSC has introduced a new parameter to BCSE that will focus on GK. Whereby, the inclusion of GK/Current Affairs will supplement existing parameters, such as English and Dzongkha communication skills, problem-solving, logical and analytical ability, and data interpretation.
This section is aimed at assessing the candidate’s awareness of political and economic trends, both regionally and globally.
Candidates argue that this addition, worth 20 marks, and making it one of the six evaluation criteria, may impose additional pressure on them.
Despite the intention to enhance the evaluation of candidates competencies, there are concerns about the potential impact on those who may already find the examination challenging.
For many candidates, the English and Dzongkha sections were seen as straightforward and essential. Namgay Penjore, who passed the PE on his second attempt, stated, “The easiest sections were Dzongkha and English, but the most difficult was the Current Affairs and GK.”
He noted that when he first appeared for the PE in 2023, the GK section was particularly challenging, not just because of the content, but due to its broad scope and the limited number of questions that ultimately count towards the final score. He said, “I would prefer the section to be excluded because it is a waste of time studying GK when only a small number of questions are asked.”
Many candidates have voiced the need for more time during the exam, particularly when it comes to reading lengthy passages or completing time-intensive tasks like shading OMR sheets.
“If they could give a few extra hours, it would allow us to better demonstrate our abilities rather than rushing through each section,” said Pema Choki who is a graduate of 2020, but did not appear for PE in the past. “It is about quality, not just speed.”
The feedback from 2024 PE candidates highlights a need for rethinking certain aspects of the examination, whether it is removing a section or providing more time to complete the exam.
