The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Bhutan Qualifications and Professional Certification Authority (BQPCA), under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, has announced a major revision of eligibility criteria for registering medical and health professionals in Bhutan.
The move comes in response to practical challenges faced by candidates, evolving international practices, and the need to ensure fairness, inclusivity, and competency-based regulation.
Previous criteria set by BQPCA required students seeking admission to MBBS and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programs to secure a minimum of 50 percent in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology at the Class 12 level.
According to the authority, while this rule was intended to ensure preparedness for higher education in medicine, it often excluded capable candidates who could succeed academically but did not meet the strict subject requirements. “Earlier requirements, such as a minimum of 50 percent in individual Class 12 science subjects, often excluded otherwise capable candidates despite their successful completion of professional degrees,” said the BQPCA.
In some cases, students who had not studied a certain STEM subject in Class 12 or scored slightly below the required marks in certain subjects were still able to excel in medical programs abroad. However, upon returning to Bhutan, they faced challenges in professional registration because of the strict rules. These examples highlighted a gap between school-level subject requirements and actual performance in professional education, raising questions about the fairness and effectiveness of the previous system.
Therefore, under the revised framework, candidates who have completed Class 12 and graduated from an accredited MBBS or BDS program are now eligible for registration in Bhutan, subject to a competency assessment.
This shift ensures that professional ability and practical competence take precedence over school-level subject marks. It also means that students from any background now have a fair chance to enter the medical profession, as long as they demonstrate the required skills. The BQPCA said, “The revised criteria address these challenges by placing greater emphasis on professional competence rather than rigid subject-based thresholds.”
The revision also addresses the challenges faced by students who performed well in key subjects like Biology and Chemistry but slightly underperformed in others, such as Physics. Under the new rules, only pass marks in the Class 12 Science Stream are required, ensuring that minor variations in school grades do not unfairly block capable candidates from pursuing medical education.
Similar changes have been introduced for nursing, midwifery, and allied health programs. Earlier, eligibility varied between programs, with some requiring a Science background and others accepting students from any academic stream.
Under the new framework, candidates from any academic stream, Science, Arts, or others, are eligible for nursing, midwifery, and allied health programs, provided their previous education is from accredited institutions.
This is to encourage inclusivity, expand career opportunities, and bring Bhutan’s standards in line with global best practices in health education.
While entry requirements are now more flexible, BQPCA continues to assess professional competence before registration, ensuring that only qualified and competent professionals are allowed to practice in Bhutan. This is to safeguard public safety, maintain professional standards, and ensure trust in the country’s health system.
The Director of BQPCA, Dr Ugyen Tshewang, said, “The revised criteria reflect a shift towards a more inclusive and competency-based approach. They address practical challenges, ensure fairness, and strengthen the quality and credibility of professional registration in Bhutan.”
The changes are to provide students with fairer access to professional programs while ensuring a skilled and well-prepared health workforce.
According to BQPCA, by focusing on competence rather than strict school subjects, Bhutan is now better aligned with international standards, ultimately safeguarding the quality of healthcare services for the nation.
