The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The College of Language and Culture Studies (CLCS) in Taktse, which had been facing closure due to concerns about graduate unemployment and programme relevance, will reopen in the Autumn Semester of 2026 with an initial intake of just 35 students.
The reopening, follows extensive consultations led by the Vice Chancellor of the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB).
CLCS is now set to transform into a National Centre for Training Cultural Custodians. It will offer six newly developed undergraduate programmes, including BA degrees in Cultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Buddhist Psychology and Mindfulness, Bhutan Studies and Global Perspectives, and History and Global Affairs.
Postgraduate offerings will include a Master of Arts in Public Policy for GNH and Sustainable Development, as well as Dzongkha and Choekey, and Reflective Leadership and Inner Transformation.
Despite this promising vision, several Members of Parliament (MPs) have raised concerns over the limited intake.
Mongar MP Naiten Wangchuk stressed the importance of aligning new programs with employment opportunities to avoid repeating past challenges.
Social and Cultural Committee Chairperson Lhaba Lhaba and other MPs argued that an intake of only 35 students is too small for such an institution of national importance.
Education Minister,Yeezang De Thapa, acknowledged these concerns, stating that while CLCS has the infrastructure, faculty recruitment must come first before scaling up. “This reopening is a cautious but essential first step,” Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa said.
Another issue raised was the broader challenge of access to higher education across the country, particularly affecting students who completed Class XII.
This paper was the first to investigate and report that only around 20 percent of Class XII graduates gain admission to RUB colleges through government scholarships.
The Social and Cultural Committee later brought this finding to Parliament to highlight the urgency of expanding higher education access.
Sergithang-Tsirang Toed MP Lhakpa Tshering Tamang called for raising the intake to 40 percent to better support students with limited financial means.
South Thimphu MP Tshewang Rinzin pointed out that the abrupt removal of arts and humanities programmes forced students from financially well-off families to seek education abroad, while those without such means were left without options.
Mongar MP Naiten Wangchuk revealed that RUB colleges collectively have around 3,000 unutilized seats, which could be used to increase domestic admissions for Class XII graduates.
In response, Lyonpo explained that under the 21st Economic Development Plan, Bhutan is aiming for a 60:40 ratio between skilling and higher education. “We need to first assess how many students still want to continue studying and support them accordingly,” Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa said, adding that the intake at CLCS may be expanded in coordination with RUB shortly.
