The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Majority of students are Arts students but seats are very limited
Only about 20 percent of the total number of students who passed the BHSEC exam 2023 (8,823 students), are accepted into colleges under the Royal University of Bhutan (RUB).
This shows the competitiveness of admissions to RUB colleges relative to the number of students who qualify through the examination.
When asked about an update on this matter, RUB’s Student Service Department stated that it is as detailed on their website.
It highlights the total number of students admitted across all RUB colleges and provides details about the highest and lowest intake numbers among them.
According to RUB’s website, approximately 2,105 students were admitted to colleges under RUB.
The college with the highest intake is Gedu College of Business Studies, which admitted 440 students, while the college with the lowest intake is Samtse College of Education, admitting 140 students in total.
However, most of these colleges are in favor for Science and Commerce streams compared to Arts.
Among the 8,823 students who passed their BHSEC exams in the year 2023, there were 3,527 students from the Arts stream, 2,292 from the Commerce stream, and 3,004 from the Science stream.
However, there are very few courses available for Arts students, especially the Arts student with no Mathematics background (Dry Arts).
There are about 37 courses listed in the admission criteria set by RUB, however, only about 5 courses are available for dry arts student.
It contrasts the total number of courses listed in the admission criteria with the significantly smaller number of courses that Dry Arts students can actually choose from.
This disparity shows the challenges faced by Arts students who do not have a Mathematics background in finding suitable academic opportunities within the RUB’s offerings.
The available courses for Dry Arts students include BSc in Sustainable Development, Diploma in Multimedia and Animation, and two teaching courses offered at Paro College of Education and Samtse College of Education.
A total of 106 students were awarded scholarships by RCSC and the Government of India for studies in countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Japan, Canada, and the USA.
However, only students with a science background were eligible for this opportunity. The MBBS course had the highest number of intakes under this scholarship, with 25 students selected.
It can be assumed that students with a science background who did not enroll in RUB colleges chose to pursue this scholarship opportunity, while others opted to study in private colleges.
Among the two private colleges, Royal Thimphu College offers approximately 9 courses. Among these, about 200 slots are available for Arts students, with an additional 30 slots open to all students who meet the criteria for the Bachelor of Sports and Health Sciences program.
Norbu Rigter College has 5 courses, however, the four courses such as, BA in English and Dzongkha, BA in Political Science and Sociology, BA in Development Studies and BA in English makes Norbu Rigter College one of college in Bhutan with the highest courses available for students with Arts background.
However, Science and Commerce students are also eligible to apply for these courses at Norbu Rigter College if they meet the specific criteria set under each program, with the exception of BBA and BCom.
There is a dual challenge faced by Bhutanese students after Class 12: a low enrollment rate into colleges, with only a fraction gaining admission to RUB colleges, and a particularly vulnerable position for Arts students.
Arts students, especially those without a Mathematics background, have limited course options within RUB.
